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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29049624">Devil's Quest</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cluelesse/pseuds/Cluelesse'>Cluelesse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>James and Leila: Guide to the Human World [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shall We Date?: Obey Me!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Games, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Magic, Mild Sexual Content, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, RPG, Shado the Cat, Spoilers Lesson 45-46, Trials, shrunk, switcheroo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:40:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>33,599</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29049624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cluelesse/pseuds/Cluelesse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's time for James first trial. But what the hell did Solomon do?! James has to do his best to keep everyone safe. And he can't rely on others, except Beelzebub.</p><p>This series is a retelling of events that happen in the game. It doesn't follow the story exactly, but it does in general. Spoilers for Lesson 45-46</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!) &amp; Original Character(s), Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Male Character(s), Belphegor (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Belphegor (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Male Character(s), Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>James and Leila: Guide to the Human World [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2051451</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Human World Sorcerers' Society</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The training begins for real for James</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s been almost a month since the fiasco that is Solomon’s cooking. He has come over regularly. To teach me magic. To spend time with Leila and Pandora. To train us for our sorcerers licenses. But no one left him out of their sight and no one allowed him to step into our kitchen again.</p><p>Leila has been away a lot, lately. Her seven trials, to earn her sorcerers license, need to be completed first, before Solomon can officially introduce me as his new apprentice. It’s not done for a sorcerer to have two students. She hasn’t talked to me much about it. She isn’t allowed to do that. She just told me not to worry, with a roll of her eyes in annoyance. I know she’s not annoyed with my curiosity. No, for as far as I can assess the situation, she’s annoyed with whoever is testing her for her license. Are they making things difficult for her? I thought that being who she is would make it easier for her… She doesn’t seem to be worried, though. Neither is Solomon.</p><p>She’s feeling relaxed, most of the time. Her relationship with Belphegor and Satan is going well, judging by how she sometimes comes downstairs from her or Satan’s room. And judging by Belphegors and Satan's satisfied smirks. Heh. Seems she’s recovered enough to have some of the more intimate activities with her mates again. Her relationship with Asmodeus is a bit strained now, however. She told me they would try to be friends who kiss, but in reality that’s much harder to do. They try to be friends, but most of the time, they keep some distance from each other. I’m guessing it’s just a bit painful for the both of them at the moment. They’re not arguing, but they’re not spontaneous with each other like before, either.</p><p> </p><p>“Yo, Leila!” Mammon shouts from the kitchen, waving a blender in the air. “Tell me how this thingy I got here is s’posed to work again?”</p><p>“Leila!” Leviathan needs some help too. “What’s up with this weird-looking frying pan? It comes from your box of cooking supplies. I don’t get it. Why does it have all these dents?”</p><p>On one of her trips, Leila had teleported to her old apartment and packed up a whole bunch of stuff and moved it to Serenity Manor. Solomon had taken me to my old apartment as well, to pack up some of my things. For our demons it was like christmas, unpacking all our boxes to see what all our favorite things are. There was something interesting to see for everyone.</p><p>Leila walks to the kitchen, after she placed Pandora in Satan’s arms. “That’s a special pan to make ‘Poffertjes’, Levi.” She tells him. “They’re kinda like small fluffy pancakes. I’ll make them for you one time, when Beel isn’t around to eat them faster than I can bake them…” Beelzebub behind her, grins a bit sheepishly. She continues with. “Mammon, first of all, don’t wave the blender over your head like a cheerleader, but set it on a steady surface…” She disappears into the kitchen and we can’t hear the rest of the conversation.</p><p>In the meantime, Satan turns to me. “James, what sort of seasoning is this? Is it okay to use it on eggs?”</p><p>He points out what he wants to know, but gets distracted and doesn’t hear my answer, as suddenly Pandora makes a cute noise by the sound of his voice, that sounds like laughing and he and Belphegor start completely swooning over her. Trying to let her make the sound again. When they realize how they are acting in front of their brothers at the breakfast table, it’s already too late. Everyone is already looking at them with huge teasing grins.</p><p>“Sorry about them, James.” Asmodeus smiles charmingly at me. “They still don’t know their way around the Human World. Anyway, is it okay to eat this little leafy garnish-thing? Or is it just for decoration?”</p><p>“We’ve always had a rule, here in our family.” I tell Asmodeus with a grin. “Don’t put it on a plate if you can’t eat it.”</p><p>“Seems like a good rule to me.” Beelzebub snatches the garnish from Asmodeus plate and munches it up.</p><p>“What’s that about us driving Leila and James crazy, Asmo?” Belphegor tries to get his composure of grumpy lazy youngest brother back again. It’s not working: We’ve all seen him cooing over Pandora now. “You’re just as guilty of that as we are.”</p><p>“Well, I can’t help it!” Asmodeus defends himself. “The Human World is totally different, compared to the last time I was here.”</p><p>They launch into a discussion over the progression of mankind, like I’m not sitting right there with them and I snicker quietly, eating my breakfast. Leila soon returns from the kitchen, together with Mammon and Leviathan and a tray with smoothies for everyone.</p><p>“James, Leila…” Lucifer accepts a smoothie from the tray and nods in approval. “Once you’re done with breakfast, go ahead and get ready to leave. We don’t want to be late to our meeting with Solomon.”</p><p>Leila nods, but I look up surprised. “Wait, we’re meeting Solomon? All of us?”</p><p>“Not all of us, James.” Leila tells me. “Just you, me, Lucifer and Beel.”</p><p>“Yes.” Lucifer confirms. “He said he’d meet us in front of the building. Ah, I forgot. You were falling asleep while he was explaining this the other day at the Café. You really should try to do less gaming at night with Levi.” He sends his brother a sharp look and Leviathan shrinks in his chair, focussing on his food with a blush.</p><p>“Wait, I didn’t know James was headin’ out too, today. What’s the deal?” Mammon wants to know.</p><p>“Today is my final trial.” Leila tells us. “After that, James is officially Solomon’s new apprentice. No matter if I succeed or fail.”</p><p>“Exactly. Leila and James are meeting Solomon together today.” Lucifer explains. “And Solomon had asked Beel and I to go along.”</p><p>“Whoa, what?! That’s not cool!” The brother’s protest and as per usual, Mammon is the loudest of them all. “Why’re you and Beel the only ones who get to go?! No fair! Beel, did you know about this?”</p><p>“Yep, Lucifer told me about it earlier.” Beelzebub is quickly trying to eat as much as possible before we leave.</p><p>“Now just a second!” Asmodeus protests now. “I’m in a pact with Solomon! Why do you two get to go, but I don’t, hm?!”</p><p>“Because they convey an air of credibility and prestige, most likely.” Belphegor shrugs.</p><p>“Eh..? What’re ya talkin’ about?”</p><p>“Ooh, but wait.” Asmodeus is already changing his mind. “If you’re going someplace where you’re likely to get caught up in some sort of trouble, then count me out.”</p><p>“It’s likely.” Leila nods to him, smiling kindly. “It’s going to be my final trial, after all.”</p><p>“Where exactly are you going, anyway?” He now looks a bit worried, but nobody answers his question. As the location of where we’re going has to stay a secret.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey there, Leila!” Solomon hugs his granddaughter. “And of course James, Lucifer and Beelzebub… Glad you could make it.” He tells our two demons. “Welcome to the Human World’s Sorcerers’ Society headquarters!” He gestures to the building behind him, that looks like a castle.</p><p>“The Sorcerers’ Society headquarters?” I ask. Leila really didn’t tell me anything!</p><p>I look at her and she winks mischievously. “That’s right. As you can see, both the name and the look of the building scream ‘this place is filled with pompous, uptight bureaucrats’.”</p><p>“Which it is…” Solomon has a matching mischievous smirk on his face. “But what can you do? You see, the Sorcerers’ Society is an organization that provides assistance to all of the sorcerers secretly living here in the Human World. To become an official sorcerer, you need a license, which you get here. First you have to obtain your learners license or provisional license, as it is also called. Then you can try for your full license. Which is what Leila was doing for the past weeks. Once you have that, you’re a full-fledged sorcerer.” He looks proudly at his granddaughter.</p><p>“Provisional license, full license… Sounds like a long process.” Beelzebub mumbles worried.</p><p>“It can be, depending on the talent of the apprentice.” Solomon nods. “But Leila had no trouble with the provisional license. Since she was training as my apprentice in the Devildom and the Celestial Realm, the Society had no choice but to recognize her talents and had given her that license when she came here to get registered. From then, she immediately started with her full license…”</p><p>“So, what does that license business have to do with Beel and me?” Lucifer wants to know. “Why do you need us here? You didn’t need any of us before for Leila’s license. Surely you didn’t ask us to come along for the sake of it?”</p><p>“Don’t worry, we’re getting to that part.” Solomon starts leading the way to the entrance of the building. “You’ll understand once we’re inside. Shall we?”</p><p>“That’s the sort of thing someone says when they’re up to no good.” Lucifer sighs as he follows Solomon.</p><p>“Yeah.” Leila nods. “He’s up to something. But it’s my final trial, so I have to do it anyway…”</p><p>Lucifer places a hand on her shoulder as Beelzebub does with me. “Prepare yourself, Leila and James. There’s no telling what awaits you in there.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, Lucifer.” Leila says comfortingly. “I’m sure we’ll be fine.”</p><p> </p><p>Inside the building, I’m looking around in awe. Until I hear the gossiping starting to buzz around us. I see Leila just rolling her eyes, probably used to it by now.</p><p>“Hey, look who just walked in!”</p><p>“You’ve got to be kidding me! Is that Lucifer and Beelzebub…?”</p><p>“I’ve never seen them in real life before! You think maybe they’d give me their autographs?”</p><p>People start coming closer, feeling safe as a group, gawking at us. Then I hear the less innocent gossip.</p><p>“So that’s Solomon’s granddaughter? Not bad…”</p><p>“I heard she got her provisional, the moment she registered…”</p><p>“I heard she’s literally sleeping with the devil…” Laughter, but Leila just ignores it all. “Even has a child with him, hahaha!”</p><p>Okay… Suddenly it makes perfect sense why Satan or Belphegor, or even Mammon or Asmodeus weren’t invited to come today. Each and everyone of them would have lost their temper to come to Leila’s defence. Even Beelzebub and Lucifer come to stand protectively closer to us now, frowning at the crowd, but Leila whispers to them that this isn’t nearly as intimidating as being gossiped about and crowded by demons at RAD.</p><p>“Who’s that other guy?”</p><p>“That’s going to be Solomon’s new apprentice, as soon as the princess gets her full license.” More laughter and snickering at the word ‘princess’. Again, I see Leila roll her eyes.</p><p>“I heard he tamed all Seven Rulers of the Devildom.”</p><p>“I guess it’s not an urban legend then, seeing as Lucifer and Beelzebub are here…”</p><p>Lucifer is having enough of it and glares around the room. And the curious sorcerers, apprentices and mages scatter under his gaze. “So that’s why you brought us along… Now I understand what it is you’re up to, Solomon.”</p><p>Solomon laughs. “Come on, What I am up to? Couldn’t you just say you understand my strategy? You make me sound so devious…” Solomon snickers as if he likes to be viewed like that. I guess he is a bit weird, so that might actually be true.</p><p>“I don’t get it.” Beelzebub says. “What are you talking about?”</p><p>“Having the two of us along makes James look good.” Lucifer explains to him. “It adds an element of prestige to him. Leila didn’t need this, being Solomon’s granddaughter. But James is a newcomer in the Human World’s magical society.”</p><p>“Well, you’re not wrong.” Solomon admits. “But there’s another reason I wanted you here, actually. You see, I’m not on good terms with the Sorcerers’ Society… So being my apprentice doesn’t grant James an automatic ticket into the Society. It might make it HARDER to get in…”</p><p>“Did you have a bad experience with the Society?” I ask curiously.</p><p>“Well, it’s sort of a long story, but…” Solomon starts his tale while making his way in the building, ignoring the glares of a lot of the elderly sorcerers. “One of the largest dragons in existence at the time was summoned against me, and I was nearly burned alive. That would have been very uncomfortable… Among other things.”</p><p>“How do you even make someone angry enough to do that?” Beelzebub asks worriedly.</p><p>“What exactly did you do to upset them…?” Leila accuses her grandfather and he laughs merrily at that.</p><p>“Hmm… Well, to give you the short version…” He rubs his chin in thought. “I actually founded the Sorcerer’s Society, along with my most talented apprentice back then. But later on we ended up having a difference in opinion, you see… They continued supervising the Sorcerers’ Society, while I made myself busy with the other aspects of magic in the Human World. Being King Solomon the Wise had me have more responsibilities, as you can imagine. For a while it went well. But as time went by… The new supervisors of the Sorcerers’ Society and I alienated more and more. They don’t like the fact that I don’t die like a normal human, for example. And I always choose my own apprentices, when I see someone talented enough, instead of getting them assigned to me at random…” Solomon shrugs.</p><p>“That’s it?” Leila asks in disbelief. “So they’re just being petty?”</p><p>“Mostly, yes.” Solomon nods. “I might have done some things wrong too. I’m only human after all. But I always try to do what’s best for the Human World. I’m not always convinced that is their first priority as well, alas. Oh! I know that my latest offence is having a new magical family member in secret, having trained her without a licence in the Devildom and Celestial Realm and have her be so talented that she earned her provisional on her registration day… And on top of all that, with her innate magical powers and knowledge of spellcrafting, she most likely will be ranked as High Sorcerer immediately after gaining her full license…” Solomon smirks as Leila stares at him dumbfounded. I also see pride for her in his eyes. “I mean, How DARE I, right?”</p><p>I chuckle as Leila rolls her eyes again. Yeah, those kinds of things must raise up a lot of envy in a person, if they don’t know her for who she actually is. She won’t go being a bother to the bureaucrats in the Sorceres’ Society, as long as they leave her be. But WILL they leave her be? That is the question.</p><p>Then he turns to Lucifer and Beelzebub. “But let’s not get bogged down in any more details. The point is that I need you two to be bodyguards for my charming new apprentice, who is also Leila’s relative and so a target for petty jealousy as well. Until he makes a name of his own. To make sure that nobody harasses him.”</p><p>“You’d better not be planning on putting James in danger…” Beelzebub looms over Solomon threateningly.</p><p>“Oh no…” Solomon pats him comfortingly on his arm. “James is going to be just fine. That’s not who you need to worry about.”</p><p>“Who do we need to worry about then?” Now Lucifer looms over Solomon with his arms crossed, who seems to be less than impressed by that.</p><p>“You know?” He smiles innocently up to him and that makes Lucifer narrowing his eyes even more. “We really don’t have time to stand around chatting it up. We should go ahead and get James registered.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poffertjes  <br/>In case you wanted to know... :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Tiny</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gotta have some guts, doing that!!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hello there!” Solomon cheerfully greets the receptionist, who just stares blankly back at him. “This is my future new apprentice, James. I take it you’ve heard it?” Solomon introduces me to the still staring receptionist. “After my current apprentice, Leila, has finished her final trial today, I take him on as my official apprentice.”</p>
<p>The receptionist nods this time. I feel a sense of relief. I was worried they might actually be just sitting there and died of boredom, or something.</p>
<p>“Well, we’re here to apply for his sorcerer’s license.” Solomon continues, seemingly not at all bothered by the kind of rude behaviour of the receptionist. “So, would you just go ahead and start the registration process for us? Thanks.”</p>
<p>The receptionist nods again and gestures to the orb on the desk. It looks like a world globe, though it’s glowing and swirling on the surface. Some places are more active than others. Almost like it keeps track of magic in the Human World?</p>
<p>“James and Leila, place your hand right here.” Solomon tells us. “There’s no need to be afraid, we’re just getting you registered.”</p>
<p>I place my hand on the globe and so does Leila. Before the globe glows up brightly, I can just see her hand: It has a strange marking on it. I didn’t notice it before. Did she conceal that all this time? Then I’m distracted again, because the Sorcerers’ Society receptionist presses his wand onto the back of my own hand. And now I can see the same sort of pattern forming on it. Three staves and seven stars. A magic seal.</p>
<p>Lucifer inspects both our hands afterwards. The pattern is still glowing faintly. “Hmm, three staves and seven stars. The crest of the Sorcerers’ Society.” It sounds like he has seen it multiple times before.</p>
<p>“Right.” Solomon nods. “The three staves represent the Three Magi, who are said to have invented the magical arts as they are known now. And the seven stars represent the ‘seven virtues’ that a sorcerer must never forget. Temperance, chastity, generosity, patience, diligence, gratitude and humility…”</p>
<p>“And some of these stuck-up snobs could use a re-trial with a whole bunch of them, if you ask me.” Leila whispers so quietly that only I can hear and I chuckle.</p>
<p>“To obtain your sorcerer’s license, you must earn these seven stars by passing seven trials. For your provisional, you have to earn the three staves.” Solomon continues to explain as he traces his finger over Leila’s seal. “Sometimes the applicant is already talented enough to earn them right away, you see?”</p>
<p>I look on her hand and see all Leila’s staves light up, glowing faintly. And also six of her stars. When looking at my own hand, I see one stave glow.</p>
<p>“Traditionally, for the provisional, apprentices have always received their first star and stave from their teacher. Me, in your case.” Solomon points at the glowing stave on my hand. “But I changed some things up for Leila, just to be practical.” Solomon smirks mischievously and Leila narrows her eyes at him. I can see her think: What are you up to? “For her full licence, Leila will have to earn her <strong>final</strong> star from her teacher. Which is also me, obviously. So, prepare to face your first trial, James. And your final one, Leila. If you can pass my test, I will grant you your stars.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay.” I say a bit nervously. “Should I prepare myself with more spells from Leila’s spellbook? When will this trial begin…?”</p>
<p>Solomon laughs. “The trial is right now! Oh, I guess that means you can’t actually prepare yourself anymore.”</p>
<p>“Stop teasing him, Solomon.” Leila tells her grandfather sternly, making the receptionist look at her in surprise. Apparently not a lot of people talk to him like that in the Human World magical society. No, they just glare at him, gossip about him or send dragons after him… I snicker.</p>
<p>“Of course.” He smirks at her. “Let’s get started… As your first step toward becoming an official sorcerer, I’m going to give you a test.” He turns to Lucifer and suddenly he starts an incantation. “<em><strong>...I call upon the earth itself to shackle the one who stands before me. Leave them bound and helpless. I am the sorcerer Solomon the Wise… Answer my call!</strong></em>”</p>
<p>Suddenly it seems like chains are growing out of the wall, shackling Lucifer and pulling him in against the wall. “...GRR!” He growls angrily at Solomon, struggling against his bindings, but they won’t budge.</p>
<p>“Wh…?! Solomon, what do you think you’re doing to Lucifer?!” Beelzebub grabs Solomon by the collar, but he is repelled from him easily with a forcefield.</p>
<p>I want to intervene as well. Seeing my two lovers ending up in a fight with Leila’s grandfather seems like a very bad idea for several reasons! But Leila places a hand on my arm and shakes her head. Right, seven virtues… She’s obviously got a lot more training than I have, but she’s right. Solomon does this for a reason. So I watch and wait to see what happens.</p>
<p>“Good, Leila and James.” Solomon nods approvingly at us. “It’s important to stay calm and assess the situation you’re in, before taking action.”</p>
<p>“Hey, whoa…! Check out Solomon. What is he doing over there?”</p>
<p>A crowd is forming around us again. It looks to them as if Solomon is picking a fight with two of the most dangerous and powerful demons. Solomon isn’t fazed by it, still standing his ground, holding off Beelzebub and shackling Lucifer.</p>
<p>“He cast a binding spell on Lucifer…”</p>
<p>“That’s it… The world is doomed…”</p>
<p>“Solomon, you’ll pay for this!” Lucifer growls and transforms into his demonic form. Not that the extra power helps him to get out of his bindings. “To think you would dare make me this angry… You must have a death wish.”</p>
<p>“Undo the spell you put on Lucifer, Solomon. NOW!” Beelzebub transforms as well trying to break out of the forcefield that contains him now. But just like Leila’s, it’s too strong for him. “Because if you don’t, I’m going to…”</p>
<p>“Stay out of this, Beel.” Lucifer smiles an evil smile at his brother, then turns to Solomon again. “I’m dealing with this myself.”</p>
<p>“But…”</p>
<p>“Do you really think that a mere binding spell such as this is enough to restrain <strong>me</strong>?” Lucifer says to Solomon threateningly, testing the strength of his shackles. “If you’re the so-called wise one, you really should learn the meaning of the word ‘audacity’…”</p>
<p>“Allright, Lucifer. Calm down.” Solomon tells him with a sigh. “I know this isn’t pleasant, but you’re just going to have to grin and bear it. For James’ sake.”</p>
<p>“What..?”</p>
<p>“This is a necessary part of James and Leila’s test. You’ll understand, won’t you?”</p>
<p>“Fine.” Lucifer stops struggling against his bindings and now just glares at him. “Don’t think I won’t make you pay for this later. When you ask the Avatar of Pride for favors, it comes at a price.”</p>
<p>“As James and Leila’s teacher, let me just say that I appreciate your cooperation.” Solomon smiles innocently at him and with way too much mischief in his eyes, he casts another spell. “<em><strong>This demon and this human shall fit in the palm of my hand.</strong></em>”</p>
<p>There’s a flash and suddenly a tiny Lucifer and a tiny Leila stand on the floor at our feet. Leila quickly clambers up on Solomon’s shoe to not get stepped on and he gently picks her up, letting her sit in the palm of his hand. She gives him a glare, but says nothing about her new situation.</p>
<p>“Whoa…” Beelzebub quickly picks up Lucifer from the floor, to save him from being trampled as well. “I don’t believe it. Lucifer is so small, he could fit in my hand…”</p>
<p>Lucifer stands on Beelzebubs hand in his tiny demonic form. A flush of embarrassment on his face as he hears the crowd that has formed around us, laughing and ridiculing him and Leila. He crosses his arms and glares around: A picture of tiny indignation.</p>
<p>“Ahaha!” I can’t help but laugh, myself. It’s really too funny how he’s Lucifer, but just so tiny that he doesn’t scare you. And of course Leila is adorably cute, like that. Though she seems to not care about the mocking of the crowd. “You look so cute!”</p>
<p>“Is it really so funny seeing me like this?” He glares at me now. Not that I’m very impressed by his tiny anger.</p>
<p>Solomon plucks him from Beelzebubs hand and hands both Lucifer and Leila over to me. “Listen very carefully, James. Your instructions for the test are as follows… ‘You must keep mini Lucifer and Leila safe for a full day.’”</p>
<p>“That’s all? Well, that’ll be easy, right?” Beelzebub shrugs. “All we have to do is hole ourselves up at the Manor and keep them hidden.”</p>
<p>“Beel, are you insane?” Lucifer yells at him from my hand, barely audible in the laughing crowd. “You’re talking about the place where my greatest enemies live… Five of them. And let’s not forget about Leila’s cat.”</p>
<p>He looks as if he can’t decide which is worse: Being eaten like a common mouse by a cat, or being tortured and ridiculed by his brothers now that he can’t defend himself against them.</p>
<p>“Oh no!” Beelzebub bends over my hand to hear him better. “You think they’ll do something to you?”</p>
<p>“They’ll try to at least pull a prank.” Leila tells him in an adorable tiny voice. “And there will be hell to pay for them when they do!” I can’t help but snicker at her fierce statement. Lucifer nods approvingly her way. I doubt they’ll be impressed with her right now, though. But you never know with her. “But Shado won’t hurt us, don’t worry Lucifer.”</p>
<p>“That’s right, James. Your job is to protect Lucifer from his brothers.” Solomon confirms. “And no using ‘stay’ to restrain them. You’re only allowed to use Beelzebub’s powers. You took once control of Asmodeus powers, didn’t you? Quite some time ago, in the underground maze beneath the Demon Lord’s Castle. Well, this time it is Beelzebub’s powers you have to draw out. You have been practicing that with Leila… And Beelzebub… You’re not allowed to protect Lucifer or Leila on your own. You can only do what James tells you, no matter what. Is that clear?”</p>
<p>Beelzebub nods. “...If it’ll help James, then fine. I understand.”</p>
<p>“Damn it, I don’t believe this!” Lucifer complains as I put both him and Leila on my shoulders. But Leila immediately clambers down and into the pocket of my hoody, making herself comfortable. She invites Lucifer to join her and he reluctantly complies. They look comfy in there and I carefully pat my pocket.</p>
<p>Solomon chuckles, seeing them in there. “James, how confident are you that you can manage this?”</p>
<p>“I won’t let them or you down, Solomon.” I tell him. I will never forgive myself if something would happen to them.</p>
<p>“Good. I’m counting on you to do well, James. I know you can do this.” He smiles, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “Well then, I’ll go ahead and stay at the Manor with all of you tonight. I need to keep an eye on things! You know, as the judge.”</p>
<p>“You find this all very entertaining, don’t you Solomon?” Lucifer tries his most threatening voice, but it still sounds cute to me.</p>
<p>“Well, I suppose I’d have to say… yes! Incredibly entertaining!” Solomon laughs as we make our way out of the building.</p>
<p>“Just so you know, Solomon.” I hear now Leila’s voice. “If something happens to Pandora while I can’t defend her because of the state I’m currently in, I’ll never forgive you.”</p>
<p>Solomon smiles fondly at her. “I won’t let that happen, don’t worry.”</p>
<p>I can’t help wondering what Leila’s test in this all is. Solomon has only been giving instructions for me so far. And again, I know that Leila isn’t going to ask. Just like last year, Solomon encourages her to figure it out by herself. I feel like her test is much more difficult. It’s probably what the Sorcerers’ Society doesn’t expect from him, so he has to, maybe? I thought being Solomon's granddaughter would make things easier for her, but it looks like it’s the opposite. Not that it seems to bother her in one way or another.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Making Plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Plans are made to deal with tiny Lucifer</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>James POV</strong>
  </span>
</p>
<p>I suggest that before we go home, we think up a sort of strategy for dealing with the others. The moment they find out Lucifer has shrunk down to the size of Little Tom Thumb, I know at least some of them will want to pull a prank on him. They're still demons, after all and they can’t resist temptation. So we head to the Angel’s Halo first. The angels’ reaction was as to be expected…</p>
<p>“Wh…?!”</p>
<p>“WHAT?!”</p>
<p>Lucifer stands on the middle of the table, looking embarrassed. Leila stands next to him, looking apologetic.</p>
<p>“So you see,” She explains with her cute tiny voice. “I can’t come to work today…”</p>
<p>I see Solomon give her a proud approving nod. Apparently how she is behaving in the new situation is exactly what he wants from her.</p>
<p>“Ahahaha!” Simeon just burst out laughing, hearing that. And Luke is giggling behind his hand. “That is definitely not what I expect from you, right now, Leila! Ahaha!”</p>
<p>Lucifer reacts as expected. “Don’t laugh!” Leila tries to calm him by placing her hand on his arm. It only works half. He doesn’t have a pact with her, after all.</p>
<p>“Come on, really.” Simeon smiles at him. “How can you blame us? This is you, Lucifer. You’ve always got such an imposing, commanding presence. And yet here you are, all teeny-tiny…”</p>
<p>“Don’t tease him, Simeon!” Leila tells him sternly, eliciting another salvo of laughter from Simeon.</p>
<p>“And you, Leila…” He gently strokes her hair with a finger. “Ahw, you’re just so cute. I’d like to put you in a jar and keep you as a pet.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you dare.” She tells him in her most dignified manner. “Because I will bite you!”</p>
<p>“If only Michael could see how adorable you look. I’m sure he’d be thrilled.” Simeon laughs, turning to Lucifer again.</p>
<p>Lucifer crosses his arms and glares at him. “Enough. Stop calling us cute…” He starts, but is interrupted by Simeons finger, poking him in the cheek. “Stop that! ...Are you even listening to me?!” He pushes Simeons finger away.</p>
<p>“Ahaha, sorry… I just couldn’t help wanting to poke your tiny cheek.” Simeon doesn’t look sorry at all. He’s definitely wearing an impish grin right now. And that, for being an angel… “I mean, I’d never be able to do this sort of thing to the real Lucifer, right? How can I resist?”</p>
<p>“Good point.” Luke cheers, starting to point his finger towards Lucifer. “I also w-”</p>
<p>But Lucifer isn’t having that anymore. He lets his demonic energy crackle and zapps Lukes finger with it. “What was that, Luke? Did you say something?”</p>
<p>“Ah!” Luke blows on his finger. “N-No… Never mind! Just ignore me!”</p>
<p>Leila inspects his finger and casts a healing spell, she must have learned in the Celestial Realm, over the blister. It instantly disappears and both Simeon and Solomon nod approvingly.</p>
<p>“Simeon.” Leila asks. “Do you have some earplugs?”</p>
<p>“I think so. What for?” Simeon confirms and Leila tells him she wants to enchant them so that at least Solomon, Beelzebub and I can hear Lucifer and herself clearly at all times. That idea is received with enthusiasm and Simeon quickly gets some earplugs for her. In the meantime, I absentmindedly pet Lucifer with my finger.</p>
<p>“What’re you…” He protests, trying to push me away. “Now just a...hey! That tickles!”</p>
<p>“Lucky.” Luke looks at me petting Lucifer who is smiling now and lets me be. “I’m so jealous, James…”</p>
<p>“Now, now… Everyone stop teasing Lucifer and Leila, okay?” Solomon thinks we need to start making strategies, after Leila enchanted our earplugs and we can hear their tiny voices a bit clearer.</p>
<p>“Just whose fault do you think this is to begin with, Solomon?” Lucifer complains to him as he takes a seat next to Leila on the bench of sugarcubes she built for them. Seriously, this is too cute! I’ve got to take a picture of this!</p>
<p>“Funny… All he did was shrink, but for some reason, he sort of smells like a human now, like Leila.” Beelzebub looks at them, resting his chin on his crossed arms.</p>
<p>“Really?” Luke asks him, interested. “You can smell the difference between a human and a demon?”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Beelzebub turns to him with a wicked grin. “I can tell the difference easily. For instance, you smell like an angel, Luke… Not bad at all...” He teases and laughs as he sees Luke shrink away, hearing that.</p>
<p>“You know, I have to say, I’m impressed that you’ve been so cooperative, Lucifer.” Simeon smiles at him. “Does this mean the Avatar of Pride himself is willing to endure humiliation, as long as it is for James and Leila?”</p>
<p>“It’s only humiliation if you let people make you feel like that.” Leila tells Simeon dignified again and Lucifer looks surprised her way.</p>
<p>“Right.” Lucifer nods. “Enough chit chat. We need to come up with a plan of action right now. I can’t go home in this state. Not until we worked out a strategy for dealing with my brothers.”</p>
<p>“James can only make use of my powers.” Beelzebub nods.</p>
<p>Solomon nods. “Exactly, I’ve been showing that to you last year, James. When I was teaching Leila. You have to look into the core of your demon and try to draw out his true power. Now, I don’t expect you to find his angel core. You’re not Leila. But you have to try to look beyond the power on the surface, like I taught you and her. Otherwise, you’re not going to have much luck protecting Lucifer from his other five brothers.”</p>
<p>“You’ve managed to draw out Asmo’s power before, James” Lucifer nods full of faith in me. “So you must be able to do the same with Beel.”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Solomon nods. “However, simply reciting the incantation won’t do it. You have to understand Beelzebub’s true nature. You have to understand what makes him how he is.”</p>
<p>“Beel, what do you think we should do?” I ask him. We’re going to have to work together on this, so I want his input.</p>
<p>“Well, there’s no way to just snap your fingers and make that happen, but for now… What do you say we spend as much time together as we can?” He suggests. “You already know me pretty well, James. But I’m not entirely sure what Solomon is looking for in this trial.”</p>
<p>“Yes, that seems like a good idea.” Leila chimes in. “This is different from gaming and kissing and James hasn’t gotten many chances to practice enhancing and accessing a demon's power. Due to circumstances.”</p>
<p>Lucifer agrees as well. “Yes, you’re right. Also… Leila and I obviously are going to have to sleep in the same room with you two. If you’re to protect us, then we’ll have to stay close together.”</p>
<p>“We can all stay in my room.” Leila suggests. “It’s boobytrapped. I just have to kick Belphegor out.” She says, as if he’s not a fearsome demon and she isn’t tiny as TinkerBell.</p>
<p>“Then I’ll have to join as well. After all, I’m the judge of this trial. I have to be able to observe your progress” Solomon invites himself with a grin, earning himself another glare from Lucifer. “So, it looks like the five of us are having a pajama party tonight!”</p>
<p>“Aww, lucky…” Simeon pouts, hearing that. “Can I come too?”</p>
<p>“Out of the question!” Lucifer tells him sternly, before anyone else can say something. He already saw Leila smiling and about to accept and he sends her a pointed glare.</p>
<p>“Could be fun…” She mumbles in her defense. Probably only me and Lucifer heard her and I grin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>Shado POV</strong>
  </span>
</p>
<p>I’m on Satan’s lap, purring while kneading his legs to make them softer. It doesn’t work, but it’s still fun to do for me. He’s stroking my fur in the perfect way while reading in one of his books. But then his DDD rings in an obnoxious loud sound, for a cat, and he moves to get it. Of course I complain about that. I was just so comfortable! But he doesn’t care what I think and starts talking into it.</p>
<p>“Yes, Solomon?”</p>
<p>“…”</p>
<p>“Everything alright with Leila and James?”</p>
<p>“…”</p>
<p>“What?! Lucifer? Seriously? Ahaha!”</p>
<p>“…”</p>
<p>“Sure! I’ll think of something! Hehehe…”</p>
<p>“…”</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t you worry. Hehehe… This is going to be fun! Ahaha!”</p>
<p>And then he hangs up and has the audacity to pull me up from his legs and stand up! I meow in complaint, but he just strokes me. Oh well, at least he’s still doing that… And he has the courtesy to carry me with him out to the garden where Belphegor - who is playing with Leila’s kitten Pandora -, Asmodeus and Mammon are lounging around. I don't know where Leviathan is. He’s even more elusive than a cat, honestly.</p>
<p>“Oh, this is good!” Satan announces as he steps into the garden and takes a seat with me in his arms on one of the sofa’s. Good. He’s sitting again. I restart my efforts to knead his legs as he starts telling a story to the others. “You wouldn’t believe what happened…!”</p>
<p>“What’re you talking about?” Asmodeus asks, while he’s sharpening his nails with some kind of stick. People do the oddest things, really. He should just scratch his nails over the sofa’s. I always feel that is the quickest method. Though for some reason Leila wants me to use a scratching post for it. So I do it when she isn’t looking. Or she will clip my nails blunt again, in revenge.</p>
<p>“I was on the phone with Solomon just now…”</p>
<p>“Hmm…” Belphegor interrupts his playing with Leila’s kitten and sits up. “Judging from the way your eyes lit up, Satan… Would this ‘something good’ involve Lucifer?” He smiles. “Like something ridiculous happened to him and now he’s in trouble?”</p>
<p>“Bingo!” He holds his hand up for Belphegor to slap against, instead of continuing to pet me, so I meow again to complain. Pandora also makes a disapproving sound for being ignored. Leila has a smart kitten, I can tell.</p>
<p>“Wait… what?” Mammon looks interested now too. “What happened?”</p>
<p>“Just wait until you hear this!” Satan tells them and he laughs evilly. “It seems that Lucifer… <strong>our</strong> Lucifer… has been shrunk to the size of a mouse!”</p>
<p>Hm? Mouse? Did he say mouse? I perk up my ears.</p>
<p>“What?!” Asmodeus exclaims in disbelief. “You CAN’T be serious…?</p>
<p>“He’s been… shrunk?” Mammon asks to be sure and then bursts out in too loud laughing. “AHAHAHA!! YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN’ ME!!” I hiss at him for being suddenly so loud, but he just ignores me.</p>
<p>“You are serious!” Asmodeus shouts now too. Seriously, why do people always start screaming over a mouse? “He’s actually been physically shrunk?!”</p>
<p>“Yep.” Satan grins impishly. “From what Solomon says, he’s tiny enough to fit in the palm of your hand now.”</p>
<p>“Ahahaha!”</p>
<p>“Okay, that’s amazing.” Belphegor snickers softly, resuming his playing with Pandora. “But how exactly did that happen?”</p>
<p>“It’s part of James' test or something.” Satan starts telling about his conversation on the phone and everyone is finally quiet enough, so that I can nod off a bit. “...So, now that you’re caught up… This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to really deal Lucifer a blow that he’ll never forget. Who else wants in?”</p>
<p>“Me! Me!” Mammon yells again. He’s really not my favorite when he is like this. “This is gonna be great! There’s no way I’d miss out!”</p>
<p>“First I want to know what happened to Leila…” Belphegor says. “I definitely want in too, but…”</p>
<p>“Solomon didn’t say anything about Leila.” Satan shrugs unconcerned. “She is probably off somewhere separate from them. To have her final trial, I assume.”</p>
<p>“That sounds perfect!” Belphegor snickers. “That way she won’t get mad at us for sabotaging James a bit.”</p>
<p>“Mammon, Belphie…” Asmodeus shakes his head. “Are you serious? She’ll <strong>definitely</strong> get mad, once she finds out! And Lucifer is going to actually KILL you this time!”</p>
<p>“Are you saying you don’t want in, Asmo?” Mammon asks his brother in disbelief.</p>
<p>“Eww, no. Count me out.” Asmodeus sighs in a dramatic way. “Why should I go and do something that’ll just get me punished later? Leila might actually put a permanent curse on me that’ll ruin my skin…” He shivers exaggeratedly.</p>
<p>Mammon huffs and rolls his eyes at him. “Like I care! If I can land one nice clean blow on Lucifer, it’ll be worth it.”</p>
<p>“And I’m good at slipping away unnoticed, so I’m not worried about being punished by Lucifer.” Belphegor agrees. “And Leila might get mad and it won’t be pleasant, but I’ll just have to make her forgive me again…” He smiles mischievously. “I’m not worried about that.”</p>
<p>“Exactly.” Satan shrugs again. “She’s sexy when she’s mad. It’s all worth it to me.”</p>
<p>“Ugh, wow… You three really like putting your life on the line, don’t you?” Asmodeus demonstratively pulls out a magazine and disappears behind it.</p>
<p>“Well, no one will force you to join in, Asmo. Do whatever you want.” Satan pats him on the shoulder.</p>
<p>“So what’s the plan?”</p>
<p>Belphegor, Satan and Mammon start brainstorming, until suddenly Leviathan appears.</p>
<p>“Hey guys! Check it out! Akuzon just delivered the new game I ordered!” He cheers happily. “It’s a real-life RPG where you create your own scenario and then go inside the game world and live it out! Come on, let’s all play it together!”</p>
<p>“A real-life RPG?”</p>
<p>“Live out the scenario?”</p>
<p>“That’s it!”</p>
<p>Leviathan backs off a bit when three of his brothers start to crowd around him. “O-Okay, why are you all so excited about this?! Don't get me wrong, I’m happy you want to play it with me, but… You’re sort of scaring me!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Shadow Lord’s Castle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Is this just a game to you?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Solomon is on the phone with someone when we’re packing up to go to the Manor. Just as I walk towards him, he seems to have finished his conversation.</p>
<p>“Hmhm, Alright. Talk to you later then.” He hangs up and turns to us. “Now then, what do you say we head home, James? And all of you as well, of course.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When we arrive at the Manor, the sun is already setting. This is good! We only have to go through the night and breakfast. Most of the day is already gone. But Lucifer isn’t as optimistic as I am. The closer we get to the Manor, the more worried the expression on his face.</p>
<p>“Listen to me, James.” He insists again. For the pretty much thousandth time and I can barely suppress my eyeroll. “Do NOT let your guard down, even for a single second. Because if you do, that’s it. You’ll be dead in an instant.”</p>
<p>“Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence, Lucifer.” I say, a bit annoyed now. “Can’t you have a little more faith in me?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Lucifer.” Leila frowns. “Don’t you trust James and Beelzebub? Because I do.” She tells him in all her tiny fierceness and I’m feeling very proud of her now. “Your brothers might try a prank, but they won’t kill us!”</p>
<p>“Pranks that can kill us.” Lucifer still insists on the worst case scenario. “We’re about to step inside enemy territory.”</p>
<p>“Please, James.” Beelzebub now starts making me nervous too. “Swear that you’ll protect Lucifer for me, no matter what.”</p>
<p>“He’ll be fine.” I try to calm his nerves and my own as well. “Because I’ve got you here with me.”</p>
<p>“Of course I do whatever I can to help. But I’m not allowed to step in on my own…” He wraps his arm around me “So I’m trusting you to make sure nothing happens to him.”</p>
<p>“I think you’re all making too much drama.” Leila rolls her eyes.</p>
<p>Solomon agrees with her. “Yes. Sounds to me like you’re all being very dramatic.” He laughs, like it’s all an amazing joke to him. Maybe it is? It’s probably not his first time he tested one of his apprentices in an unique way like this… “You’re just going home, that’s all.”</p>
<p>“You underestimate what my brothers are capable of.” Lucifer sighs to him, convinced that he will be murdered before we reach Leila’s room.</p>
<p>Beelzebub agrees. “None of them would ever pass up a chance to harass Lucifer.”</p>
<p>“Not even if it ruins James' trial?” Leila can hardly believe that. I’m glad that at least she has an infallible trust in me, when she continues with. “And besides, James may be still an apprentice, but he wouldn’t be getting this trial, if it was impossible for him. He can do magic, just as Solomon and me!”</p>
<p>“And are you even sure they hate you that much?” Solomon asks Lucifer. “You’re the first-born and their protector.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure.” Lucifer stubbornly crosses his arms. “Don’t ask me why.”</p>
<p>“I know they all love you, Lucifer. They just enjoy messing with you, that’s all…” Beelzebub denies his statement. “You agree, right James?”</p>
<p>“Yep, they all love you, Lucifer.” I tell him and I mean it. “I still remember how worried they were for you last year when you lost your memory. And how grateful they were for having you as a brother, when we had that stand-off with Lord Diavolo…”</p>
<p>“What stand-off with Diavolo?” Leila asks, suspiciously. But no one starts explaining that to her. As we are all in agreement that Leila really doesn’t need more reasons to dislike Lord Diavolo.</p>
<p>“I wish I could believe that…” Lucifer sighs, worried.</p>
<p>He’s definitely not the fierce confident demon I know and love, right now. Does losing his power that much to his Pride? I wonder. It’s strange, because it doesn’t seem to bother Leila that much. The only comment she gave Solomon about it, was her worry for Pandora.</p>
<p>“Anyway…” Solomon walks up to the front door. “While I do find the complicated interpersonal dynamics of your family fascinating, I’d say it’s time we head inside ‘enemy territory’.”</p>
<p>He opens the door and as soon as we’re all on the threshold, we hear the incantation: “<em><strong>Dann deldaim parastoka kyom…</strong></em>” And a portal appears.</p>
<p>“Dammit Satan!” I hear Leila yell furiously with her tiny voice. But I doubt he could even hear her over his own deep growling demonic voice as he finishes his spell.</p>
<p>“See, what did I tell you?” Lucifer complains as he holds onto my pocket for dear life, much like Leila does, as we get drawn towards the portal with more and more force. “They wasted no time launching their attack. I knew something like this would happen.”</p>
<p>“This isn’t good.” Beelzebub holds me in his arms protectively. “We’re being pulled into that portal.”</p>
<p>“What was that again about everyone loving Lucifer?” Solomon smirks amused, as he lets himself get pulled in. Not even trying to struggle. I guess it’s no use anyway, but it still looks suspicious to me.</p>
<p>“How did they even know it so quickly?” Seems like Leila thinks it’s suspicious too, as she is looking at her grandfather’s face.</p>
<p>But we have no time to accuse him. Because next thing we know, we’re getting pulled into the portal and it feels like we’re entering a void. All is darkness and nothingness. It feels as though we’re falling through this black void. One that goes on forever...</p>
<p>“We need to stay calm.” Leila tells us in the eerie silence. I guess out of all of us, she’s now the least scared of a darkness like this. She always used to be, but not after her encounter with the Angel of Death anymore. “And wait for what comes next.”</p>
<p>“Exactly, Leila.” Lucifer agrees with her. “We’re not really falling. It just feels like we are.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suddenly we stand in the middle of a grand ballroom. I almost lose my balance from the sudden change of environment. Where the hell are we…?</p>
<p>“Interesting.” Solomon looks around amused and continues dryly. “Seems they decided to drop us off somewhere truly marvelous. How thoughtful.”</p>
<p>“The voice that spoke that incantation…” Lucifer starts to say.</p>
<p>“Satan.” Leila confirms, sounding very annoyed.</p>
<p>“Yes.” Lucifer nods. “Maybe he’s the one who created this world we’re in now?”</p>
<p>“I feel like I’ve seen this place before…” Beelzebub looks around. “Ah, I remember. This looks like a location from one of Levi’s games.”</p>
<p>“So we’re caught inside another one of his games again?” Lucifer growls, but it sounds kinda cute. Like the meowing of a lion cub. “That bastard…”</p>
<p>“Ahahahaha!” Someone else seems to think it’s funny, unlike Lucifer. “Finally… I’ve been waiting for you!” Leviathan appears in front of us in his Lord of Shadow costume. “I’m so glad you could come, hero! That’s right, James… I’m talking to you!”</p>
<p>“Levi!” Leila yells at him from my pocket, making him startle and breaking character. “I swear, if you’re sabotaging James' trial with this game of yours, you’ll regret it!”</p>
<p>“L-Leila...?!” He looks at her. “You shrunk as well? They said you weren’t…”</p>
<p>“So you think it’s okay to do, if I’m not around?!” She yells to him in all her tiny fury, while Lucifer next to her is glaring to him in all his tiny anger. The rest of us just stare at Leviathan in silence. Leviathan decides to continue with his roleplay after promising Leila. “I swear to you, it’s just a game. Nothing bad will happen.”</p>
<p>“There better not be.” She tells him sternly. “Continue.”</p>
<p>Leviathan needs a moment to get back into his part. “Ahahaha! What’s wrong? Is it my appearance? Are you so in awe of my majesty that you’re at a loss of words?!”</p>
<p>Leila rolls her eyes and I snicker. But decide to roleplay with Leviathan, anyway. It’s obviously what he wants, looking at us expectantly.</p>
<p>“Wait… are you who I think you are?!” I exclaim in ‘awe’. “Are you the Lord of Shadow?”</p>
<p>He beams proudly at me and continues. “Very perceptive, hero. Yes, I am indeed the one you say. I am the TRUE ruler of these lands… of all seven kingdoms! I am the Lord of Shadow!”</p>
<p>But Lucifer doesn’t feel like playing a roleplay game right now. “So? What is it you think you’re doing, Levi?”</p>
<p>Neither does Beelzebub. “I don’t have time to play games with you right now, Levi. Sorry…” He says apologetically to his brother.</p>
<p>“Wh…! Don’t APOLOGIZE!” Leviathan breaks character again. “Come on, you’re making me look pathetic here!” He takes a deep breath to get into character again. Focussing on me, since I’m the only one who plays along, he says. “Listen, and listen well! The Lord of Shadow has an important mission for all of you. Hero! We are on the verge of a great calamity… One that will bring about the end of this world. The cause of this calamity is none other than the Demon Lord Satan!”</p>
<p>“Figures.” I hear Leila from my pocket and I have trouble keeping my face serious for Leviathan.</p>
<p>He doesn’t hear her however and continues. “You must defeat him and bring peace to these lands!”</p>
<p>“Solomon, get us out of here.” Lucifer interrupts him. “Now.”</p>
<p>“You’re asking the impossible. I’m not even sure where ‘here’ is.” Solomon laughs amused. “What spell do you suggest I use exactly?”</p>
<p>“Your Majesty, could you tell me the way to the castle pantry?” Beelzebub smiles animatedly to his brother, attempting to roleplay with him.</p>
<p>“Stop acting as if this is a joke!” Leviathan yells, frustrated.</p>
<p>“Beelzebub sighs. “Okay Levi. I’ll be serious with you now. We can’t do anything that might put Lucifer or Leila in danger. James has to keep them safe as part of a special test. So we definitely can’t seek out Satan…”</p>
<p>“Right. You heard him.” Lucifer confirms. “Satan might not hurt Leila, but-”</p>
<p>“Hehehe.” Leviathan interrupts him. Something he probably only dares doing now Lucifer is tiny. “Did you really think the Lord of Shadow wasn’t already aware that you wouldn’t want to go? Well, I have bad news… I’m afraid you don’t have a choice! Behold!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The moment he says the word, there is a flash. Dark smoke appears in which Satan stands in his demonic form. He slowly turns around to look at us with a devilish grin. Shado sits on his shoulder, immediately noticing Leila and starts chirping to her, looking confused with bright, blinking eyes, his tail swishing and ears perked up. It is as if he's asking what happened to her. Leila seems to signal him to keep quiet and she hides inside my pocket, so Satan won’t notice her.</p>
<p>“Satan!” Beelzebub wants to grab him by the collar, but then remembers he can’t act before I tell him to.</p>
<p>Solomon calms him down. “He’s not actually there. That’s a magical projection.”</p>
<p>“You WILL come to see me. Of that I’m certain…” The projection of Satan starts talking.</p>
<p>“...James...Lucifer…”</p>
<p>“Diavolo?” Lucifer recognizes the voice. “What’s going on? Diavolo, why are you with Satan?”</p>
<p>“Well, to be honest… I thought I’d sneak up to the Human World for a visit. Without telling Barbatos.” Lord Diavolo admits. “Since Leila has been refusing all my invitations for afternoon tea so far… I was hoping to surprise you all…”</p>
<p>“Of all the nerve…” I hear Leila’s voice very quiet and very annoyed.</p>
<p>Solomon's voice also sounds annoyed when he says mockingly. “Well, it looks like you succeeded in surprising them, at least…”</p>
<p>“Lord Diavolo showed up at the perfect moment.” Satan grins wickedly. “So I decided we’d use him as our hostage.”</p>
<p>“Satan, you idiot!” Lucifer is furious. “This is the second time you commit treason against the Prince of the Devildom!”</p>
<p>“Now, now, Lucifer…” Lord Diavolo uses a balming voice. “All will be forgiven when you come rescue me.”</p>
<p>“Of all the times to show up, he had to pick now…” Leila grumbles, from deep inside my pocket, but somehow Lord Diavolo seems to hear her. Must be because he’s the most powerful demon of the Devildom. I’ve felt that power up close.</p>
<p>“Ooh… Is that you, Leila?” His voice sounds excited and it sounds like he’s straining to see her beyond the smoke. But as long as we can’t see him, he definitely can’t see her.</p>
<p>“What are you talking about?” Satan growls at him, looking at somewhere we can’t see. “Leila isn’t there. And even if she was, she’s not there for <strong>you</strong>!” He turns to us again, smiling impishly. “Well, now you understand the situation. So you WILL be coming to see me. All of you. And make sure you bring your obnoxious talking doll there with you!” He burst out in wicked laughter.</p>
<p>“Excuse me?” Lucifer can’t help feeling offended. Who are you calling an <strong>obnoxious talking doll</strong>…?</p>
<p>Satan ignores him and gives me a friendly smile. “I’ll be expecting you, James.” Somehow it tells me that I don’t really have to worry.</p>
<p>“Can’t wait to see you, Leila…!” Lord Diavolo yells from the background, still sounding excited.</p>
<p>“Shut up, you!” Satan growls irritated in his direction. “She’s not there. And don’t you dare even speak her name!” With that, the smoke clears and Satan’s image is gone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Getting Geared</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>When playing a RPG, make sure to be geared appropriately</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“...My head hurts.” Lucifer sighs, rubbing his temples. Leila pats him understanding on his shoulder and casts her healing spell on him. Being the same size, makes it easy for her to take care for him and he smiles gratefully at her.</p><p>“I know he’s your friend, Lucifer.” She tells him, shaking her head. “But seriously…” She rolls her eyes in annoyance. He nods at her and sighs again.</p><p>“Well, guess we don’t have a choice. Let’s go, James.” Beelzebub shrugs, a determined expression on his face.</p><p>But Leviathan stops us suddenly. “Whoa whoa whoa! You’re in a RPG world here and those have certain tropes! Isn’t there something you NEED before heading off on your adventure?!”</p><p>I slip back into my roleplaying character of the ‘hero’, like Leviathan wants and ask him. “Oh, generous Lord of Shadow. We beg you for aid!”</p><p>Pleased, Leviathan steps into his role as well. “Well, well… So you require my assistance, do you?” Leviathan folds his hands behind his back and starts pacing up and down in front of us. Beelzebub and Solomon roll their eyes. I imagine Lucifer and Leila do the same and I grin. Leviathan seems to have come to a decision. “Very well. Journeys such as this do have certain costs associated with them, I suppose. Here, use this to purchase equipment for your quest.” He hands me 100 Grimm, as if it’s a grand gesture.</p><p>“That’s all?” Beelzebub looks doubtful.</p><p>Lucifer yells angrily to Leviathan. “Is this some sort of joke, ‘Lord of Shadow’?”</p><p>But Solomon thinks it’s hilarious. “Now, now, don’t be angry. Maybe they’re just really poor around here and things are cheap?”</p><p>“You’re not even going to thank me?!” Leviathan breaks character again and stomps his foot. He’s really not so good in roleplay, for someone who loves to roleplay. Heh. I make sure to thank him properly, as my status as ‘hero’ requires and he’s happy again.</p><p>When that’s done, Solomon takes the lead. “Okay then! What do you say we head into the town outside the castle and do some shopping?” He honestly seems way too excited to play this game…</p><p>“I wonder if 100 Grimm will be enough to buy food?” Beelzebub wonders, worried. “Though I don’t seem so hungry here in the game…”</p><p>“That’s right.” Leviathan confirms. “I present to you and your party a special Lord of Shadows talisman… May it protect you always.” He hangs something around our necks, except Leila, because apparently they weren't expecting her to join the game. Afterwards he breaks character again. “After defeating the Final Boss, the game will be finished and the spell will be broken. See you then!” He steps into his character again and cheers us on. “I wish you luck and pray for your safe return!”</p><p>“Leviathan…” Lucifer’s tiny voice threatens. “Once this is over, there are GOING to be consequences. Just you remember that.”</p><p>“Yikes!” Leviathan suddenly realizes what they might be. “But… Come on! I mean, I can’t help it, can I?! I just really wanted to play the game with all of you guys!”</p><p>“Levi…” Now it’s Leila’s turn and he looks at her with respectful fear. “Is Pandora left in safety? She’s not alone in the Manor, right?”</p><p>Leviathan sighs with relief. Leila doesn't sound particularly angry with him, knowing Satan is to blame for this. “No, don’t worry. We send her over to the angels. She’s safe and cared for.”</p><p>“Okay.” She nods relieved.</p><p>“Let’s go, James.” Lucifer tells me and with that we leave Leviathan in his castle, to play this roleplaying game of his.</p><p> </p><p>We step from the castle grounds into a quaint looking medieval town. It’s bustling with NPC’s walking up and down. And up and down. Doing the same thing over and over again. But it actually looks very realistic for the rest of it.</p><p>“Look at that.” Solomon smiles approvingly. “It really doesn’t feel like we’re inside a video game, huh? Unless you look closer.”</p><p>“So, if we head to the tavern, we should be able to get real food to eat, right?” Beelzebub is already spending our measly 100 Grimm in his mind. Luckily, Lucifer pulls him out of his dream, so I don’t have to.</p><p>“Before we think about food, we need to buy equipment.” He tells us, as if RPGs are his bread and butter. “Let’s look for a shop that sells weapons or armor, James.”</p><p>“Let’s see if we can find some free stuff first.” I tell him, while kicking open a barrel. Looking through the debris, I find a tiny rapier. I think? It might just be a needle from the tailor shop next door. But Leila wants it anyway.</p><p>I break open another barrel. “What are you even doing, James?” Beelzebub asks me, looking at me as if I lost my mind.</p><p>But Solomon is amused. “Oh yeah, right. That’s how it works in RPGs!” He says enthusiastically. “You break barrels to get stuff! Alright, I’ll break this one here… Oh, look! I found a medal!”</p><p>In the meantime Beelzebub was looking in the nearby patches of grass. “Look, I found something. It’s a clump of medicinal herbs.”</p><p>“Ah.” Solomon walks up to him, smiling. “You mean that stuff that restores your health points? We should definitely hold on to that…”</p><p>
  <em>*munch* *munch* *munch*</em>
</p><p>“Wh!” Solomon sighs as he sees Beelzebub practically starts grazing in the grass. “Too late. He already ate it…”</p><p>“Hmph, bitter…” Beelzebub says with a full mouth as he starts on his hands and knees, looking for more herbs. At least I hope that’s what he’s doing? But in any case, I have to take a picture of this!</p><p>“All of you… When you’re done fooling around, go look for the equipment shop!” Lucifer yells to us impatiently. I sigh. Sometimes he just doesn’t know how to have fun…</p><p> </p><p>“Hello there! Welcome to Number Two’s Arms and Armor!” The NPC tells us as we step into a shop that looks like what we’re looking for. “I’ve got weapons, armor, accessories and other items. All at great prices! And I’ll pay good money for your used gear too!”</p><p>“So, we finally made it to the equipment shop, only to find out that <strong>he</strong> is running it. Unbelievable…” Lucifer glares at the Little D No. Two that runs the shop. A little D of Greed. Only not so little compared to Lucifer and Leila now…</p><p>“Okay.” Solomon walks up to the shopkeeper and places the newfound medal on the counter. “I’d like to sell this.” They start haggling and eventually Solomon walks away with 10 extra Grimm, which he shows Lucifer triumphantly. “Worth it to break those barrels. Anyway…” He starts inspecting the racks and sighs. “The gear here doesn’t look very good…”</p><p>“Well, this is the first town in the game, after all.” Beelzebub tells him seriously. “That’s just how it is. Now, what I want to know is… do you sell food here?”</p><p>“Hello there! Welcome to Number Two’s Arms and Armor! I’ve got weapons, armor, accessories and other items. All at great prices! And I’ll pay good money for your used gear too!” Is the response to that question. Seems clear to me.</p><p>But Beelzebub isn’t going to give up on food so easily. “Uh, no… I asked if you sell FOOD here…?”</p><p>“Hello there! Welcome to Number Two’s Arms and Armor! I’ve got weapons, armor, accessories and other items. All at great prices! And I’ll pay good money for your used gear too!”</p><p>“This is starting to annoy me.” Beelzebub goes to stand in the Little D’s face, for as much as he has a face, but that makes no difference. Eventually he gives up and let us finally spend our Grimm on equipment</p><p>Solomon sighs, clad in a worn down wizard outfit that looks much like his own, only in not as good shape. “So we only were able to buy gear for me and James with the money we had, but that’s it.”</p><p>It’s true. It isn’t much. I only got myself a helmet and some cuffs for my wrists. I don’t feel very ‘equipped’ to face a Demon Lord.</p><p>“Well, the only thing here that fits Lucifer is that fairy outfit, so…” Beelzebub starts as he points towards a sparkly pink fairy outfit with glittery wings. The brothers obviously added that to the game as a way to tease Lucifer some more. Not as if he would ever fall for that.</p><p>“Not another word.” Lucifer interrupts him. “I’m NOT wearing that.”</p><p>“Maybe I will.” Leila asks, climbing out of my pocket onto the counter. “What are the stats on it?”</p><p>Solomon smiles and gets it for her. “It’s actually good quality gear, I think. Let’s see here... more health points... more magical power... and oh!” He starts laughing. “Apparently, as a special ability, you can fly around every 30 minutes for 10 minutes!”</p><p>“Really?” Leila cheers enthusiastically. “That sounds like fun! Can we buy it for me?”</p><p>“Fun? You’re not feeling embarrassed about wearing that?” Lucifer reacts surprised. “What if the others see you in it?”</p><p>“Who cares?” She shrugs. “To me it looks like something useful. And pink is more my color than yours anyway, Lucifer.” He can’t disagree on that and smiles at her.</p><p>In the meantime Solomon has purchased the tiny fairy outfit for his granddaughter, who beams at him and hides inside a harness boot that sits on the counter to change into the outfit. Within a few minutes she walks out, looking adorable in her pink fairy costume. She sticks her rapier/needle in her belt and poses for us with a grin. Until I quickly snap a picture with my DDD, which makes her glare at me.</p><p>“I know, I know.” I laugh. “I won’t post this anywhere online. But you have to agree that this is a great memory to have, once you have your normal size again, right?”</p><p>“I suppose.” She smiles at me. I knew she would understand. “I do look kinda cute in this, right?” She does a little twirl, so that her skirts flare out, but to our surprise it also makes her wings flutter and suddenly she’s flying up! “Oh!” She squeaks, surprised and laughing. “I guess that’s how I trigger that ability?” We all look at her while she starts practicing. Looking like a sparkly tiny butterfly. When the ten minutes are almost up, it looks like she’s got her new flying ability as good as mastered.</p><p>“I was really hoping to get some armor for myself…” Beelzebub watches her with a smile. “I guess I’m too big for anything that is cheap…”</p><p>Hearing that, the Little D suddenly starts saying a different line! “Ooh, sorry! I have to stay in business, so I’m afraid I don’t offer discounts…”</p><p>“Eh?” Beelzebub looks at him surprised. “He said something different!”</p><p>We all crowd around the Little D, telling his new programmed lines. “Hmm, perhaps we could make a deal instead? It just so happens that there’s a terrible, greedy monster in town. It hangs out at the casino and cheats people out of their money…” He lets out a pathetic whine.</p><p>“Mammon…” Lucifer concludes. Yup, no doubt. Mammon isn’t really for the unexpected role in RPGs.</p><p>“That monster ripped me off!” The Little D complains. “But if you can get my money back, I’ll offer you a huge discount on a full Lord of Flies armor set! So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?”</p><p>“Sure thing!” I accept the first quest. “Just leave it to us!”</p><p>“Yeah, seems like that’s our only option.” Beelzebub agrees, rubbing his hands. He’s obviously not scared of Mammon, even if he has to rely on my ability to guide him through the battle.</p><p>“Well, It’s getting late.” Solomon tells us. “Mammon can wait until tomorrow. What do you say we look for an inn?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Quest: Slay the Sea Monster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The group gets a bit side-tracked</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Spoilers for Lesson 45 Hard. Skip to the inn if you don't want to read it :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Looks like we ended up at the harbor.” Solomon states as we see the masts and sails in the distance. “Maybe the inn was actually in the opposite direction?”</p>
<p>I feel like I’ve been walking for hours in the little town. How can you get lost in something so small? Maybe it was designed to lead us here?</p>
<p>“Look James!” Beelzebub is actually not so tired yet. “What a beautiful ship here. Wow, I’d love to try sailing on that…”</p>
<p>“We’re not here on vacation, Beel.” Lucifer sighs from my pocket. When I look down to them, I see Leila has fallen asleep already. “We’ve got a job to do.”</p>
<p>“Also, anytime you end up on a ship like that in an RPG, you wind up getting attacked by some giant monster.” Solomon isn’t feeling to go on a leisurely sailing trip inside a game world, either. “Which I’m thinking would probably happen here too.”</p>
<p>“Exactly.” Lucifer nods. “We don’t have time for detours. Let’s find the inn.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I guess you’re right. After all there’s probably plenty of food at the inn.” Beelzebub’s stomach grumbles slightly. I guess the talisman doesn’t entirely help him. But it's not as bad as usual, so far. He’s holding up pretty well!</p>
<p>But at the words ‘food’ and ‘inn’, one of the fisherman NPC’s at the harbor reacts and starts speaking to us. “Ah, what do we have here? Travelers? Staying at the inn tonight, are ya? Too bad… If only you’d come on a different day. Y’see, today the Seven-Headed Sea Serpent appeared out in the waters nearby. And because of that, we weren’t able to head out fishing.”</p>
<p>“What has that to do with us?” Lucifer says impatiently and I kinda have to agree with him. Doesn’t seem to be like it’s our problem.</p>
<p>“The in is famous for their giant seafood platters.” The fisherman continues. “But I guess you won’t get to have that tonight, will ya?”</p>
<p>Beelzebub looks horrified, hearing that and Solomon, Lucifer and I sigh. There he goes again: thinking with his stomach…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And so, a little while later we’re sailing onto the open sea…</p>
<p>“So, we ended up on the ship after all, but still… Do you really intend on trying to slay the Seven-Headed Sea Serpent?” Solomon looks doubtful. “We’re not exactly the right equipped crew for that.” He looks worried to his still sleeping granddaughter. She suddenly looks very fragile, without her fierceness when she’s awake.</p>
<p>Beelzebub isn’t giving up on the idea, however. “Well if we don’t, they won’t be able to catch fish. And then we won’t be able to have that inn’s famous seafood platter. Which means that the only way we’re going to be able to defeat the Demon Lord Satan is if we slay the Seven-Headed Sea Serpent.”</p>
<p>I honestly don’t really follow that kind of logic, but I guess it’s Beelzebub we’re talking with. Solomon also seems very surprised by that statement. “Huh? Are you sure about that?” I pat him on the shoulder, he’s obviously not used to living with demons like Beelzebub.</p>
<p>“It’s no use, Solomon.” Lucifer sighs defeated. I think he’s also tired. Being small like that must be kind of exhausting for him and Leila. “When it comes to anything food-related, Beel is even more stubborn than Satan.”</p>
<p>“Allright, fine…” Solomon shrugs. “Well, as long as we’re sailing the open ocean, we might as well enjoy ourselves, right?”</p>
<p>I nod and decide to hang out with Beelzebub a little. “The sea sure is great, huh?” He asks me with a relaxed smile on his face. “When I imagine all of the countless fish and shrimp and other delicious things swimming around in there… Hmmm… Just the thought of it is making me hungry…”</p>
<p>I laugh. Good old Beel. Of course that’s what he thinks is amazing! “What about the sea serpent?”</p>
<p>“It’d be nice if that turned out to be edible too.” He says with a serious expression on his face. “But you know, I feel like I’ve heard of the Seven Headed Sea Serpent before…”</p>
<p>While he’s saying that the boat suddenly rocks violently on the waves! “What’s going on?” Leila asks sleepily, waking up from the shocks.</p>
<p>“James! Beelzebub!” Solomon calls us. “It’s here… The Seven-Headed Sea Serpent!”</p>
<p>“WHAT?!” Leila squeaks indignantly. “You’ve got to be kidding me! I can’t even fall asleep for a minute or you guys do something ridiculous!”</p>
<p>But we have no time for her fury right now, because <strong>{Lotan, the Seven-Headed Sea Serpent has appeared!}</strong> Which is apparently an achievement.</p>
<p>“Aha!” Beelzebub nods. “I knew it. The Sea Serpent is actually Levi’s Lotan!”</p>
<p>“But he released him into the water at Siren Beach.” Lucifer complains, rubbing at another headache. “What’s it doing here?”</p>
<p>“Well, since it’s Levi’s pet…” Leila shrugs, healing his headache away again. “They included Shado too, after all. The bunch of idiots.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think now’s the time to be puzzling over that!” Solomon interrupts the discussion they are having in my pocket.</p>
<p>“Right!” Leila nods. “And since you said that James only has to use Beelzebubs powers against the Avatars, I suggest you make quick work of this, Solomon!”</p>
<p>He laughs appreciatively at her cleverness. “I suppose I did say that.” He turns to the Sea Serpent and apologizes. “Sorry about this… but we’re in a game after all. So it’s not like I’m really hurting you, right?”</p>
<p>Lotan just hisses back with all his seven heads, about to launch his first attack. But before he can, Solomon casts the strongest spell that is available for the game! And Lotan takes 60000 damage and is instantly defeated. Solomon might have been a little overpowered and gave him an overkill. But that’s how we got the achievement: <strong>{You defeated Lotan, the Seven-Headed Sea Serpent!}</strong> Nice! I like getting achievements in a game!</p>
<p>Beelzebub beams for a whole other reason. “Do you think we’ll be able to have that seafood platter at the inn now?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After having completed the Sea Monster Quest, we suddenly have no problem finding the inn, where we can turn in the Quest for a seafood platter as a reward. Apparently it was really a mandatory quest for progressing further in this game. Well, if that’s the case, it’s Leviathan's own fault that we have defeated his pet.</p>
<p>Leila and Lucifer are sitting together on a napkin. As far as possible away from Beelzebub, who is digging into the promised seafood platter to his heart content. So he wouldn't accidently grab them and stuff them in his mouth in his enthusiasm. In the middle of the napkin, we have placed a saucer for them and we filled that up with all kinds of food. Of course this needs a picture too. I can’t get over how cute they look, being so tiny.</p>
<p>“This is really hard to eat…” Lucifer says while he’s struggling with a calamari. Leila nods in agreement, struggling with eating a grape that is half her size. There are no utensils for them to cut anything with, so they have to take bites from normal sized food.</p>
<p>Solomon looks at them with an expression that is a mix of amusement and fondness. “Well, you ARE tiny right now, after all.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, because <strong>you</strong> cast a shrinking spell on them.” Beelzebub accuses him, while he munches. “But right now I’m not complaining about that. More food for me!” He grins teasingly to Lucifer who gives him a glare back.</p>
<p>“I’ll cut some things into pieces for you.” I offer them and start cutting the calamari, some fruit, some bread and some cheese in really small pieces.</p>
<p>“Thank you James!” Leila cheers at me, as she now has a much easier time with her grape.</p>
<p>“Yes, that’s thoughtful of you.” Lucifer smiles up to me, hands full with a tiny piece of squid. “Go ahead and feed it to me as well, if you could.”</p>
<p>“I want James to feed me too.” Beelzebub says and opens wide, showing us a mouth full with half-chewed food. I tell him to quickly close that, before we all lose our appetite.</p>
<p>“You can feed yourself!” Lucifer tells him sternly.</p>
<p>“And you can’t?” Leila snorts, then she teases. “What happened to your Pride, Lucifer? Did it shrink as well?” He just grins at her.</p>
<p>Beelzebub has already forgotten his request as he keeps devouring the food. “Mm, that’s good. I’m glad this food tastes like real food. It’s a lot like what we have in the Devildom, actually, huh?”</p>
<p>“What kind of food do you like best, Beel?” I ask him. These things are good to know about your lover, after all. “My favorite is still Human World food, but I don’t mind the food in the Devildom.”</p>
<p>“Devildom food, Celestial Realm food, Human World food… I like it all.” He slurps and munches and I believe him. “I can’t pick one over the other.”</p>
<p>“I like Celestial Realm food.” Leila tells us, nibbling on a tiny piece of cheese now. “Although it doesn’t have any meat. I think angels don’t like the idea of killing something for eating it. But at least there’s nothing still alive crawling in it, either…” She shivers and that makes us all laugh and remember her first experiences with Devildom food.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Since Leviathan only gave us 100 Grimm to work with, all I could afford was a double room.” Solomon tells us, after he has haggled a price with the innkeeper. “And that was mainly because we defeated the Sea Monster. They let us stay one night on the cheap.”</p>
<p>He leads us to our room up the stairs and lets us look around. There’s two single beds in there. It’s going to be cozy, no matter what.</p>
<p>“Well, James and I can sleep in the same bed, right?” Beelzebub offers with a grin my way, making me blush a little. He’s usually never so openly flirty with me. Maybe he’s taking an example from Belphegor and Leila? His way of showing love is more just always being around when I need him to. “Solomon, Leila and Lucifer can use the other bed.”</p>
<p>“You’d better not roll over in your sleep, Solomon.” Lucifer threatens him. “Use magic or something. Whatever it takes to keep you still.”</p>
<p>“Sorry, there’s no spell for that, Lucifer.” Solomon shrugs and pulls out one of the drawers of the nightstand. “But I’ll make you and Leila a safe, comfy bed in here.” He places the drawer on the spot next to the pillow and stuffs it with the bathroom towel and the extra pillowcase.</p>
<p>Leila tests it out first. “Comfy.” She tells Lucifer and helps him up. “Shado would approve of this bed. Now don’t snore, all of you!” With that warning, she crawls under the covers and is asleep within moments. I swear, she takes after Belphegor more and more! I snap another picture of her. I bet Belphegor and Satan would <strong>love</strong> to see this: Their Leila, in bed with Lucifer! Ahaha!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After a day like today, we soon are all quiet and most of us asleep. But I can feel Beelzebub tossing and turning next to me, so I snuggle up against him. He sighs, but it sounds worried.</p>
<p>“Hey, James.” He whispers. Do you think Satan hates Lucifer?”</p>
<p>“Beel, let me tell you something Leila told me last year.” I start. “When we went asking everyone for their most treasured things, Satan told her about the book that made him and Lucifer switch bodies. He told her that this experience made him not hate Lucifer anymore.”</p>
<p>“And he would never lie to Leila.” Beelzebub sounds relieved.</p>
<p>“No, he wouldn’t.” I confirm. “He may do all kinds of stupid things like this, and makes her angry. But he loves her and would always be honest with her. I think, if she would ask him to answer your question honestly, he just has to admit that he actually likes Lucifer. He just doesn’t know how to deal with it.”</p>
<p>“Well, if that’s how it seems to you, then I guess I don’t have to worry.”</p>
<p>“No, I don’t think we really have to.” I say, thinking about Satan’s genuine friendly smile. He wouldn’t hurt me, by hurting Lucifer for real. But he can still do all kinds of stupid things in the meantime…</p>
<p>“I really want Satan to love Lucifer just like the rest of us do, you know?”</p>
<p>“That may be a bit much to ask.” I chuckle. “I think the only person Satan truly loves is Leila. And in extension he loves Pandora and me. And after that all his brothers. It’s just how it is for him and I think it's already a lot, for a demon like Satan…”</p>
<p>Beelzebub chuckles as well. “Hehe. If you look at it like that, I guess you’re right.”</p>
<p>“Lucifer is really special to you, right Beel?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I always want to be there for him in times of need. All of us do. We wouldn’t have followed him into the Celestial War, if we didn’t love him and respect him. Well… Since we’re demons now, it’s harder for my brothers to be honest about that, I guess. But Satan’s situation is a little different… But he isn’t the same demon ever since you came along. And I like the new Satan better, personally. Actually, I like all of my brothers even more, now that you and Leila are around. It’s like the family is whole again.”</p>
<p>I hug against him and give him a kiss.</p>
<p>“I love you, James…” He whispers and I whisper it back to him. After some more kissing and sweet words, we eventually fall asleep in each other’s arms.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Quest: Showdown at the Casino</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's time to face the Evil Cheating Monster</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>We’re up early, the next morning. The innkeeper had surprisingly still breakfast left for us after Beelzebub ate all his stock last night. Must be the magic of living inside a roleplaying game. Not that we would complain about that. I think Beelzebub might actually consider staying a bit longer, if we weren’t kinda in a hurry to get out of this game.</p>
<p>We meet with the Little D, who had suffered from the Evil Cheating Monster Mammon, in front of the inn. “Goood morning! I’ve come to show you the way to the casino!” He greets us cheerily.</p>
<p>“You sure are chipper for so early in the morning…” Beelzebub grumbles, squinting against the daylight. Apparently it’s something our demons really can’t get used to.</p>
<p>Solomon asks him worriedly. “What’s wrong, Beelzebub? You didn’t get enough sleep?”</p>
<p>“Oooh, hehehe! Sounds like YOU had quite the fun night!” The Little D seems to have drawn a conclusion and grins at Beelzebub, who shared a bed with me last night.</p>
<p>“Quite a fun night…?” Lucifer asks suspiciously, looking from me to Beelzebub. It almost looks like he’s jealous, heh. “What are you talking about? Number two! I want you to explain exactly what you mean right this instant.”</p>
<p>And so he does: “Goood morning! I’ve come to show you the way to the casino! Oooh, hehehe! Sounds like YOU had quite the fun night!” He grins at Lucifer now, who shared a drawer with Leila last night and Lucifer just seems to remember that fact, as Leila starts giggling.</p>
<p>Lucifer chuckles, when he sees her laughing for taking the NPC too seriously. “Never mind.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the enormous casino, especially for a small town like this, we see Mammon in some kind of arabian dancer-outfit scamming NPC’s out of their money. Having the time of his life, looks like. Maybe he’s considering staying a bit longer inside the game as well.</p>
<p>When he sees us, he tries to step into his role playing part. “G’hahahaha! Well, look who’s come to see me!”</p>
<p>“Mammon.” I step in my role as the ‘hero’ and tell him about our quest. “We’re here to defeat you and rid this town of your cheating schemes!”</p>
<p>“If you actually think you’re gonna make off with MY money, then you must’ve forgotten who I am!” He laughs at us roaringly..</p>
<p>“Hey, what’s up with that getup you’re wearing, Mammon?” Leila interrupts him, coming out of my pocket and starts fluttering in front of his face, making him startle out of his role, just like she did with Leviathan. I’m beginning to suspect she’s doing that on purpose now. Like a jack-in-the-box she pops up! Heh.</p>
<p>“D’ah! Leila!” He shouts, looking shocked. “You’re so tiny! What happened?! Did that shady sorcerer did this to ya?!” He glowers at Solomon who just unabashed grins back at him.</p>
<p>“He did.” She says with a sad puppy expression and Mammon melts for her. “But why are you even wearing that?”</p>
<p>“Pff, like ya got any room to criticize what I’ve got on.” He huffs blushing, pointing out her fairy outfit. “It looks good on ya, though.” He grins at her. Then he remembers what he is supposed to do again. “Anyway...Lucifer! What happened to YOU, huh? Pfheheheh! Looks like the Avatar of Pride got shrunk! You’re lookin’ pretty tiny, aren’t ya? You’re so small I’m worried I might accidentally step on ya! Like... ‘Squish! Bye-bye, Lucifer!’ D’ahahaha! You’d better be careful, or Beel might just eat ya as a snack!”</p>
<p>“That’s not funny, Mammon!” Leila tells him with a sad expression on her face as she lands on Beelzebub’s shoulder to give him support. “Beelzebub will be careful!”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t do that.” Beelzebub confirms her trust, but then starts to doubt himself. “But if he hid inside a piece of cake or something, I might swallow him whole without realizing…”</p>
<p>“You better realize I was there!” Lucifer threatens him and Beelzebub shyly grins, rubbing his neck.</p>
<p>Leila gives him a tiny kiss. “I’m sure you will realize on time, Beel.” She tells him and flutters back to my pocket before her 10 minutes run out.</p>
<p>“Return the money you stole, Mammon.” I return to the matter at hand, because at this rate we never get that armor for Beelzebub.</p>
<p>“What, do ya think I’m just gonna roll over and do what ya tell me?” He mocks with a roll of his eyes. Yeah, I actually didn’t expect he would have, knowing him. “Eh, whatever. I’m just gonna go ahead and take mini Lucifer offa your hands!” He starts laughing again and rubs his hands. “Heh, I’m gonna enjoy my new toy! We’re gonna have all kinds of fun!”</p>
<p><strong>{Mammon, Avatar of Greed appears!}</strong> Another achievement pops up in our vision and Mammon immediately starts his attack. “<em><strong>Spirit of wind, I command you! Arise, pierce the darkness, and bring that tiny demon to me! I am Mammon, Avatar of Greed! Hear and obey me!</strong></em>”</p>
<p>“Look out…!” Solomon warns us, but all that happens is that a small-ish tornado forms around Lucifer, who still sits in my pocket. Lifting him up in the air, the tornado grows a little bigger and quickly returns with Lucifer in Mammon's direction, who snatches him out of the air with his hand. Quite the unique way of pick-pocketing, I gotta say!</p>
<p>“Lucifer…!” I can see that Beelzebub wants to intervene, so before he can go on his own, I quickly try to enhance his powers</p>
<p>“<em><strong>Denizens of the darkness, Awaken! You who are born of shadow, hear me! I am the one called James. I call upon you now to lend your power to Beelzebub, Avatar of Gluttony!</strong></em>” Beelzebub transforms in his demonic form in front of our eyes.</p>
<p>“Good job, James!” Leila cheers me on from the safety of my pocket and I can feel my heart grow with pride. “Keep going!”</p>
<p>“<em><strong>Beelzebub, your master James commands you. Cast aside this wicked creature so he may bother us no more!</strong></em>”</p>
<p>“Wh...my body! It’s moving on its own…” Beelzebub says dumbfounded. It’s true: He has flown up in the air and his wings are buzzing so fast that they create a strong gust of wind. He immediately aims it at Mammon. “Mammon, give Lucifer BACK!”</p>
<p>“Hey, What the…?! What’s going on?! Wh...d’aaah!” Beelzebubs wind sends Mammon flying across the room and he drops Lucifer, trying to catch himself.</p>
<p>Beelzebub quickly snatches Lucifer from the air, before he crashes to the ground. I let out a sigh of relief. That would have been bad, if he had fallen from such height! After he has caught Lucifer and brought him back to me, Beelzebub changes out of his demonic form again. Or actually, I made him do that.</p>
<p>He looks at me with big surprised eyes. “James… Did you do that?”</p>
<p>“He did! He did!” Leila cheers extatic from my pocket, clapping her hands. “I’m so proud, James!”</p>
<p>Solomon nods, kindly squeezing my shoulder. “Seems you’ve figured out how to control Beelzebub’s powers. But you still haven’t mastered all of his powers, so I can't yet say you’ve passed the trial. But even so, that was really well done.” I don’t notice that Leila frowns at her grandfather, after he says this. I’m just basking in the compliments that Lucifer and Beelzebub showering me with.</p>
<p>“Thanks to you, I’m safe now, James.” Lucifer gives me a kiss when I hold him close to my face. I chuckle, as I can barely feel it. This is so cute! “...So, what should we do about him?”</p>
<p>“Let’s decide about that when we’re our normal size again.” Leila suggests, glaring at Mammon. “I want to have a word with him about trying to sabotage James' trial.”</p>
<p>“Very well.” Lucifer sends Mammon an evil smile. “I’m sure you and I can work out a fitting punishment, Leila.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure we can.” She says, shaking Lucifer's hand.</p>
<p>“Aaahh…!” Mammon runs out of the casino. “Please, don’t hurt meee!” Apparently the idea of Lucifer and Leila teaming up for a punishment is terrifying. Even when they’re so tiny now. They both burst out laughing, seeing him go.</p>
<p>And with his retreat, we earn ourselves a new achievement: <strong>{You defeated Mammon, Avatar of Greed!}</strong> Nice! I’m kinda starting to like this game!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not long after that, we’re back in the Little D’s shop, to get our promised armor for Beelzebub.</p>
<p>“Dear me! Well done, well done!” He cheers to us. “To think you managed to defeat that greedy monster. I’m so impressed!”</p>
<p>“So… Our reward?” Lucifer is tapping his foot on the counter, his arms crossed. He looks pretty much done with speaking to the obnoxious little demon NPC.</p>
<p>“Allright, allright. As promised, I’ll give you a full Lord Of Flies armor set on the cheap!”</p>
<p>The armor sets suddenly appears on Beelzebubs body, alongside a new achievement that pops up. <strong>{Beelzebub equips the Lord of Flies armor set!}</strong> Again, he stands there wide eyed. All these things that are just happening to him today! Haha!</p>
<p>“Oh, um… It’s a little flashy, don’t you think?” Beelzebub asks us, a little shy.</p>
<p>But we all look at him with envy, honestly. He looks amazing! “It looks great on you!” I give him a hug. “You have the best armor out of all of us!”</p>
<p>“Really?” He smiles, holding me against him. “Well, if you like it, then I’m good with it too.”</p>
<p>That seems to be a cue for accepting a follow-up quest, as suddenly the Little D NPC starts talking again. “Ah, I meant to tell you… I heard a very concerning rumor. Word is that the Demon Lord Satan has attacked the town up north.” He shows us a programmed shudder. “Ugh, it really is just terrifying, isn’t it?” I guess this means we have progressed some more into the game.</p>
<p>“The Demon Lord Satan…” Solomon nods with a serious expression. “Well, sounds like we know where we’re heading next.”</p>
<p>“Allright” Lucifer climbs back into my pocket from the counter and helps Leila in as well. “Let’s stop wasting time and head for the town to the north.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. RUN!!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>RUN!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Now I have a new reason to look forward to returning to my original size.” Lucifer tells us smugly as we’re entering some kind of dark forest.</p>
<p>“You do” Solomon takes the bait, not knowing Lucifer as well as the rest of us does. Or just keeping conversation. It could be that too. “And what would that be?”</p>
<p>“I can’t wait to think up a good punishment for Mammon.” He answers and adds. “Together with Leila. Ahaha!”</p>
<p>“Hmm, I’d say you’re the only one who can’t wait…” Solomon shrugs, as he just saw Leila roll her eyes.</p>
<p>“Don’t get me wrong, I want my normal size back too, Lucifer.” She tells him. “But saying that punishing Mammon is my only motivation? No. I want to be back with Pandora. And preferably not get squeezed in her little hands.” He chuckles and she continues. “But I do agree with you that they all need a punishment for this.”</p>
<p>“Why don’t you two get easy on him?” I ask the both of them and two tiny people glare up to me from my pocket. Okay, I guess that’s a no. What was I even thinking, asking them that? Heh.</p>
<p>“Mammon already has a hard time learning from his mistakes if I do punish him.” Lucifer grumbles. “If I’m going to make it easy for him, he thinks he can get away with everything.”</p>
<p>“I guess I can’t argue with that.” I admit.</p>
<p>“Too bad.” Beelzebub looks sad as he walks next to me, helping me over roots and fallen trees. “You were nicer to Mammon back in our Celestial Realm days…”</p>
<p>“That’s ancient history.” Lucifer tells him sternly. “I’ve forgotten all about it.”</p>
<p>“I doubt that. You two used to team up and go argue with Raphael all the time, didn’t you?”</p>
<p>“Well, that was a very long time ago.” Lucifer shrugs, but his features soften a bit. Maybe Mammon will get out of a too severe punishment after all.</p>
<p>“Considering all of you used to be angels, it must’ve taken quite a lot of effort to achieve the sort of status that you enjoy now in the Devildom, no?” Solomon prods, curiously.</p>
<p>“Leading the rebellion in the Celestial Realm that brought down a third of the Celestial army to the Devildom as Fallen angels did the trick, probably.” Leila says quietly, but we all look at her surprised. “What? I’ve now studied the War in the Celestial Realm and the Devildom. I can put two and two together.” She shrugs.</p>
<p>“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Lucifer tells us. “History can’t be changed.”</p>
<p>We’re all quiet for a bit, having our own thoughts of what happened way back then. Until suddenly we hear strange noises. Lucifer immediately accuses Beelzebubs stomach, but he denies it’s him this time.</p>
<p>“No, you’re right. That’s not the sound of a stomach…” Lucifer says, standing on the alert.</p>
<p>Then we see dark shapes shimmer through the trees, making unholy growling and snarling sounds as they float swiftly towards us with bloodied clawed hands. Leila shrieks, terrified, and ducks herself deep into my pocket where we can hear her start crying in fear. I know that not much can scare her anymore, but...</p>
<p>“Ghosts… and they’ve got us surrounded.”</p>
<p>“Oh hey, that reminds me of something someone mentioned in the village we passed through earlier…” Solomon rubs his chin, then sticks his hand out to me: He wants me to give Leila to him. “Apparently these woods are known as the ‘Black Phantom Forest’.” He puts Leila in one of the pockets in his cloak and puts a protective spell over her. “I won’t let them get you, Leila.” She nods at him with wide scared eyes and clutches onto the fabric, ducking away again.</p>
<p>In the meantime Lucifer and Beelzebub complain to him in unison. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?!”</p>
<p>“It must’ve slipped my mind.” Solomon lies to us, I can see it. He didn’t tell us, because Leila is terrified of entering anything remotely horrifying. Be it haunted houses or haunted forests. And he didn’t want her to be scared the entire time, when we had no other choice but to go through the forest anyway. “Beelzebub, you carry James and Lucifer.” He orders him, like he has a pact with him. But Beelzebub nods and obeys him anyway.</p>
<p>He casts a protective spell over us too, as Beelzebub lifts me up in his arms. I hold on to him steady and Lucifer ducks into my pocket, like Leila did earlier. After that, Solomon blasts us a path through the ghosts and he and Beelzebub start running as fast as they can. Just in time! The scary clawed hands are raking on Beelzebubs armor when we take off. The horde follows us, snarling and howling. Often one of the ghosts comes so close that we can see their empty bloodied faces. Do they eat their victims? Solomon blasts them all away from us, but it takes a very long time before the ghosts give up on chasing us.</p>
<p>It seems like Solomon and Beelzebub have been running away from them forever. Maybe we entered a sanctuary. Maybe we left their territory. We end up running on a clearing near a serenely sparkling lake, illuminated by the moonlight and fireflies dance over the calm surface. The ghosts immediately stop following us. Howling in frustration they retreat back into the woods.</p>
<p>“Well, it appears we’ve managed to outrun the ghosts.” Lucifer sighs in relief, peeking out of my pocket to watch the last of them disappear.</p>
<p>“All that running made me hungry…” Beelzebub pants, putting me down on my own two feet again. “I go see if I can find some berries.”</p>
<p>“Don’t go back into those woods.” Lucifer and I warn him at the same time and he waves.</p>
<p>Solomon smiles as he senses the atmosphere around the lake. “This lake appears to be under the protection of a guardian spirit. What do you say we camp here for the night?”</p>
<p>Leila peeks out from his cloak. She looks very shaken up. But it looks like she can sense it too, because she comes out of the cloak and flies up to his face to give him a hug - for as much as she can manage with her tiny arms - and a kiss on his cheek. Instantly his face lights up in a bright smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It takes quite a while until Beelzebub returns from his foraging. He probably ate all the berries around the entire lake. I hope he didn’t anger the guardian spirit in the process… He brings back some berries for us as well. But Solomon has already shared a few crumbs of bread that he brought from breakfast, with Leila and Lucifer and shared the rest with me. They’ve already gone to sleep. I think.</p>
<p>Solomon is sitting with his arms crossed against a tree trunk with his eyes closed. Leila has curled herself up in his arm. I guess, here in the haunted woods, she feels safest with her grandfather and I can’t blame her. Lucifer decided that she shivered too much in the cool night air, so he’s sharing his coat with her now, as a kind of blanket. He’s really the big - well, tiny at the moment - brother to her. They look adorable again: Why can’t Lucifer admit to her that he wants a pact with her? I can just tell. It’s his Pride that stops him, I know. Maybe this whole experience will teach him that Pride can only take you so far in life.</p>
<p>I sit next to Beelzebub and lean my head against him. He immediately wraps an arm around me. “You can’t sleep, James?”</p>
<p>“Not yet.” I tell him. “I was hoping we could talk.”</p>
<p>“I’d like that.” He pulls me a little closer and whispers. “Come here. Let’s make sure to not wake up the others.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I think they’re all asleep…”</p>
<p>“I was thinking about what Solomon and Lucifer were saying earlier. Lucifer isn’t the only one who’s different now from when we were angels.”</p>
<p>“Makes sense, right?”</p>
<p>“Yeah…” He chuckles. “But there are also some things that haven’t changed. For example, my brothers have always been a part of my life, both then and now. We’ve always been together and I have a feeling we always will be. Like, what was it that the butcher at the market told us about relationships…? ‘respect each other’, ‘let each other live their own life’, and ‘stay interested in each other’. I’d say that’s the sort of relationship we have at the moment, you know?”</p>
<p>I chuckle and he does as well.</p>
<p>“Yeah… the ‘respect each other’ part is a little iffy I guess.” He snickers and then falls quiet for a long while. So long that I think he might have fallen asleep, until he says. “Hey James… I wonder if we’ll end up having to fight Belphie inside this game world…”</p>
<p>“I’m guessing we will be…”</p>
<p>“Yeah…” He sighs and wraps me closer against him and says worried. “I’m not sure I’m able to come through for you and Lucifer if we do.”</p>
<p>I lean against him and hold his hand. “Why do you think so, Beel?”</p>
<p>“I always have to protect Belphie. I’m the oldest of the two of us…”</p>
<p>“You know…” I tell him softly. “I always thought so too. That I was supposed to protect Leila. Because I was the oldest.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s our job, right?” He says, thinking that I understand, but I’m not finished yet.</p>
<p>“But now that you know both of us and you know our history…” I continue. “Who do you think is the protector, out of the two of us?”</p>
<p>“Leila.” He says, without having to think about it.</p>
<p>I nod. “Exactly. Sometimes the roles change. It’s a balance. I always was her protector, but she was also always mine.”</p>
<p>“You think Belphie is my protector?” He asks, surprised.</p>
<p>“Yes, I’m sure of it.” I nod again. “Maybe not with physical strength, but he’s always on your side. And you know it, Beel. He’s not your baby brother you need to protect. He’s your twin and your equal. There’s this song Leila used to sing. Back when we just became orphans. You want to hear it?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, definitely!</p>
<p>“Okay, now I’m not a good singer like she is, but there's no one else around who can hear me now anyways…” I grin and Beelzebub chuckles. I quietly start whisper-singing the song.</p>
<p>
  <em>You're the soul who understands</em>
  <br/>
  <em>The scars that made me who I am</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Through the drifting sands of time</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I got your back and you got mine</em>
  <br/>
  <em>If you bear a heavy load</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I'll be your wheels, I'll be the road</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I'll see us through the thick and thin</em>
  <br/>
  <em>For love and loss until the end</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>'Cause you carried me with you</em>
  <br/>
  <em>From the highest of the peaks</em>
  <br/>
  <em>To the darkness of the blue</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I was just too blind to see</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Like a lighthouse in a storm</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You were always guiding me</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Yeah, it's true</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You carried me with you</em>
</p>
<p>He looks at me with wide eyes. “Okay, I think I understand…”</p>
<p>“There’s more…” I wink and continue.</p>
<p>
  <em>From the day it all began</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Yeah, you were there, you took my hand</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And when I hurt a bit too deep</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You watched me as I fell asleep</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And when my head was in the clouds</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You found a way to pull me out</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You picked my heart up off the ground</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And it showed me love was all around</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Yeah, you carried me with you</em>
  <br/>
  <em>From the highest of the peaks</em>
  <br/>
  <em>To the darkness of the blue</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I was just too blind to see</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Like a lighthouse in a storm</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You were always guiding me</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Yeah, it's true</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You carried me with you</em>
</p>
<p>“That really does sound like Leila and you…” He thinks for a minute. “And Belphie and me…”</p>
<p>“Exactly.” I tell him. “It’s a song about siblings. Or in Leila and my case: About cousins who grew up like siblings.”</p>
<p>“It’s beautiful.” He smiles. “Humans have songs for everything…” Heh. He could be onto something there.</p>
<p>“What do you think about this…” I say and start whisper-singing the last bit of the song to him, holding his hand.</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh, we'll be sittin' on the world together</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Watchin' as the days turn into night</em>
  <br/>
  <em>We know how to brave the stormy weather</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And we're never givin' up without a fight</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>If you should ever bear a heavy load</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I'll be your wheels, I'll be the road</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I'll see us through the thick and thin</em>
  <br/>
  <em>For love and loss until the end</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>'Cause you carried me with you</em>
  <br/>
  <em>From the highest of the peaks</em>
  <br/>
  <em>To the darkness of the blue</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I was just too blind to see</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Like a lighthouse in a storm</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You were always guiding me</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Yeah, it's true</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You carried me with you</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Oh, you carried me with you</em>
</p>
<p>“You’re right.” He tells me, determined. “I will try to avoid fighting with Belphie, but he will understand it, if I have to. To protect others I love and care about.”</p>
<p>“Leila would tell you he deserves it, anyways.” I whisper as I snuggle closer against him. “You know how much she loves them, but you better believe she’s angry with him and Satan right now…”</p>
<p>He laughs. “They’re going to be punished…”</p>
<p>“Yup, no doubt.”</p>
<p>We talk and kiss a little more and eventually we fall asleep curled up in each other’s arms.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Song: Carried me with you<br/>Artist: Brandi Carlile</p>
<p>(okay, the song is not from a couple years ago. but we can still pretend it is, right? hahaha!)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Ambush</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Encountering the Final Boss... Too soon!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning I wake up and notice Beelzebub has gone foraging again. Apparently the berries he picked before, grew back overnight, which is very convenient I gotta admit. Game mechanics sure are something, am I right?<br/>Leila is washing herself in the water of the lake and does a little flight over the surface afterwards to dry herself up. Looking a lot like one of the fireflies we’ve seen flying over the lake when we arrived last night. I think she really enjoys this ability from the game!<br/>By the time Beelzebub returns with berries for all of us as well, the others are waking up too.</p><p>“Mmmm… Thank you, Beelzebub.” Solomon smiles at him as he gives a berry to both Lucifer and Leila and takes a handful for himself. “I slept really well. It’s been a long time since I’ve spent the night outdoors. How about you all?”</p><p>There are some unintelligible, but confirmatory sounding answers, while we all enjoy our berries. It comes down to that everybody had a good night's sleep.</p><p>“I’m just glad that no monsters or vicious animals attacked us while we were sleeping.” I tell him with my mouth full. The berries taste really good!</p><p>Beelzebub says with a serious expression on his face. “I would have protected you, James.”</p><p>“Even if we had been attacked, something tells me you wouldn’t have noticed.” Solomon teases us. “It seemed to me that you had quite a bit of fun last night, didn’t you?” He’s sounding suspiciously a lot like the NPC Little D from yesterday and Leila starts giggling.</p><p>Lucifer takes it all serious again, however. He’s after all not really a morning demon. “Ugh, again with the ‘you had fun last night’ talk. What exactly do you mean?”</p><p>“Hm?” Solomon smiles at him innocently, but I can see the mischievous glint in his eyes and that he likes it, how he cheered Leila up from her fear from yesterday. “I’m just saying that fun was had last night. That’s all.”</p><p>“...Never mind…” Lucifer gives up on them. Both Solomon and Leila are an enigma to him when they are like that. He especially can’t stand it if they team up in their mischief and they know it. “Honestly, I don’t know why you keep making cryptic comments like that…”</p><p>Beelzebub and I just grin at each other and blush a little during that whole exchange. Apparently Solomon wasn’t asleep and had heard us talking and kissing! Oh well, it’s not exactly a secret that we’re lovers after all.</p><p> </p><p>After breakfast, we make our way out of the Black Phantom Forest as quick as possible and we’re happy that we don’t encounter any more creepy ghosts. Leila visibly relaxes as soon as we walk over an old countryside road that leads us out of the woods and into the open. Smiling at the blue skies and the sun she sighs. We’re all glad she’s feeling better again.</p><p>“By the way, Solomon…” Lucifer suddenly remembers something. “Over a day has passed at this point, right? A good bit longer than that, actually.” He smiles triumphantly at him. “And as you can see, Leila and I are fine. So change us back and give that star to James.”</p><p>“Oh no, I’m afraid you’re mistaken.” Solomon shakes his head. “It only FEELS like days have passed because we're inside a game. In the real world no time has passed at all, until we have defeated the Final Boss of this game. Isn’t that what Leviathan told us?”</p><p>“Are you serious?!” Lucifer is shocked. “So we’ve been tricked into staying in this form longer than a day?!”</p><p>“Hey, if you’ve got a problem, take it up with your brothers.” Solomon shrugs unconcerned. “They’re the ones who dragged us into this world. The only way to get out of here is to play the game…”</p><p>“But that can take weeks for us!” Leila complains uncharacteristically. “We have to go through a whole leveling process before we are able to defeat any Final Boss! I want to go back to Pandora!”</p><p>She’s not the only one. We all burst out in complaints and discussions. They really did a number on us! Until we suddenly see a treasure chest sitting right in the middle of the road. Usually that gives something useful in a game. But the way it is placed there screams ‘trap’. So a brand new discussion starts.</p><p>“Let’s try to open it.” Solomon suggests as can be expected from a fearless sorcerer who thinks danger equals fun.</p><p>Lucifer is more cautious. “Oh no you don’t. That’s definitely a trap of some sort.”</p><p>“Right, which is why I said we should open it.” Solomon laughs merrily, earning himself an eye roll from Leila and a glare from Lucifer. “So we can make sure! Come on, what do you say James? You’d like to open it too, right?”</p><p>Ugh, he really knows who to ask. Leila would have said ‘no’, but he knows I’m too curious for my own good and enjoying this game way more than I should…</p><p>“Yeah, let’s open it!” I grin at him with a wink.</p><p>“Exactly.” Solomon pats me on my back, while looking triumphantly to Lucifer. “Even if it turns out to be some sort of monster, we can just defeat it and be on our way.”</p><p>Lucifer sighs exasperated when he crosses his arms and glares at us. “Do humans as a species just have no concept of ‘caution’? He complains to Leila.</p><p>“It’s no use, Lucifer.” She shrugs and tells him. “We’re surrounded by idiots.”</p><p>He nods at her statement, glad that at least one person understands his problems. Solomon is watching their exchange with amusement. And I have to admit as well, it’s pretty funny how much alike they are with a lot of things.</p><p>In the meantime, Beelzebub wasn’t going to wait for us to make a decision and had already walked up to the chest. First trying to open it carefully, but when that seemed pointless he just ripped off the padlock</p><p>He’s already browsing the contents. “Let’s see… aww, I was really hoping for more breakfast food… But there’s also a warding bottle, some medicinal herbs and a pair of cat ears…” He looks up to us, confused. “Cat ears?”</p><p>“Ooh! Those medicinal herbs are the really good kind!” Solomon snatches them away from Beelzebubs open mouth just in time and gives them to me. “No eating them, Beel!” He tells him sternly, ignoring the sad puppy expression.</p><p>“Okay…” Beelzebub sighs and continues. “There’s an enchanted talisman attached to this little bottle here. Apparently you can put something you want to protect inside and it’ll shield it from monster attacks…” He looks at Lucifer, holding up the bottle. “Um, Lucifer…” Beelzebub starts carefully, knowing he will be scolded.</p><p>“Yes.” Solomon agrees, nodding. “One of you two should get inside the bottle.”</p><p>We all look at Lucifer and Leila. Who both raise their eyebrows in unison.</p><p>“Leila, you go.” “Lucifer, you go.” They say at the same time. It’s so cute! Two tiny prideful people.</p><p>“Seriously, Lucifer.” Leila continues, before Lucifer can say something else about it. “Your brothers wanted to prank you, not me! They obviously didn’t even know I was going to be here! I’m going to be fine. YOU should get inside that protective bottle…”</p><p>He glares at her, but nods. He motions for Beelzebub to lower the bottle so he can crawl inside and once he’s done that, he glares at all of us with his arms crossed. “Don’t ANY of you dare to laugh.” He threatens us.</p><p>“Come on, there’s no need to frown at us like that…” Beelzebub tries to apologize for the situation. But Lucifer isn’t really in any good mood to listen to apologies. I guess I can see it from his point of view. Must be very embarrassing and uncomfortable to be carried around in a bottle.</p><p> </p><p>Then suddenly everything gets dark.</p><p>“Hey, what's going on?” Lucifer protests from inside the bottle. “Why is it so dark all of a sudden? Don’t put me inside your bags!”</p><p>But that is not what has happened. It’s dark for us too. And we can hear someone starting laughing an evil laugh in the darkness. “Mmheheheh…”</p><p>Suddenly the road is illuminated again and we can see that we have fast forwarded to night-time. There’s a large moon overhead and we can clearly see the figure standing on the road before us: <strong>{The Demon Lord Satan appears!}</strong></p><p>“What a pathetic band of weaklings.” He laughs at us. “I see you opened the box… just as planned! You never even suspected that it would automatically trigger a battle!”</p><p>“You mean we have to face the Final Boss right here and now? Ooh, that’s not good…” Beelzebub says worried, but stands protectively in front of us anyway.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Lucifer smirks, not understanding the situation correctly. “If he’s coming to us, then that makes everything much easier, doesn’t it?”</p><p>Solomon shakes his head. “I don’t think you understand, Lucifer.” He explains. “This is one of those RPG things. You know we’re early in the game story and haven’t leveled much. So when the Final Boss appears like this, it means that we’ll be forced to fight, and no matter how hard we try, we will lose as part of the story. RPGs always do this!”</p><p>“So we’re going to lose no matter what then…?” Beelzebub doesn’t like that prospect at all.</p><p>Lucifer isn’t planning on being defeated beforehand however. “Hold on! We still have the items from the treasure chest. James! Use one of those!”</p><p>“Right!” I nod determined. “On it!” I take the cat ears and put them on my head and meow to Satan with my cutest cat-impersonation. I know that this would melt his heart completely, if it was Leila doing it. I’ve seen her do it before, after all. But maybe I can do at least a little bit of ‘damage’ this way.</p><p>“What are you doing, James.” Lucifer sighs, shaking his head. “How are cat ears supposed to help…”</p><p>But they do work! The Demon Lord Satan takes 222 damage and grins at me appreciatively for trying.</p><p>“The cat ears actually worked…” Beelzebub stares, dumbfounded again by the situation.</p><p>“Huh?” Lucifer looks up to Satan who stands there goofily grinning at me for having cat ears on my head.</p><p>“Still, they barely did any damage at all. The Demon Lord Satan has 870.000 HP in total.” Solomon sighs. “Now if it was Leila doing this, or an actual cat…”</p><p>“Well!” Lucifer yells impatiently. “What are you waiting for and get us a real cat, and fast!”</p><p>But there’s no time for that anymore, as Satan has enjoyed looking at me with cat ears on my head long enough. “Hehehe… My turn… <em><strong>Bones, flesh, blood and fluids. That which governs life itself, be at rest for this one moment. Listen closely and hear my voice, I am Satan, obey me.</strong></em>”</p><p>There's a flash and suddenly Solomon, Beelzebub and I are unable to move! Satan leisurely walks up to me and takes the bottle with Lucifer in it from my pocket. Not noticing Leila who was hiding in there to come out at the right moment.</p><p>“Hmm…” He chuckles, looking at Lucifer inside the bottle who glares back at him. “A small bottle with a miniaturized Lucifer inside… How very interesting.”</p><p>“Hey, let me go…!” Lucifer shouts, banging his fists against the glass angrily. “James! Beel…!” But were still stunned and unable to stop Satan as he throws the bottle playfully in the air and catches it.</p><p> </p><p>“SATAN!” Leila suddenly yells at him, making him look around surprised when he recognizes her voice. “Give Lucifer back to James!” I can hear she’s trying to command him, but it has no effect for some reason.</p><p>She flutters into his vision, brandishing her needle at him threateningly.</p><p>“Leila? You're here too? And you’re tiny!” Satan asks surprised and, just like Mammon, he glowers into the direction of Solomon. Who still can’t move his limbs, but his face shows no remorse. It’s more the opposite. He seems to be interested in how Leila tries to make Satan do as she wants. None of us can do anything but watch on how Leila starts fighting her mate Satan, tiny as she is right now.</p><p>“So?” She yells at him, flitting around his head like a stinging bee, pricking him in his demonic skin where she can with her needle. I doubt he even feels it. “It’s my trial too! And I’m SO mad at you right now! How DARE you sabotage our trials! You’re going to pay for this, Satan!”</p><p>Satan just stands there. Grinning at his furious mate flying around his head. “You’re so cute like this, Leila.” He tells her flirtingly. “That outfit suits you so well… Can’t wait to see it on you when you have your normal form.”</p><p>“Do NOT try that with me right now!” She shouts furiously at him with her tiny voice, still trying to get him to give Lucifer back. Not that he is impressed in any way. He’s basically just swooning over her cuteness and fierceness the entire time, which only infuriates her more. It’s a vicious circle, really...</p><p>This goes on until her flying ability wears off again. Only this time she didn’t think about standing somewhere safe and she floats down like a leaf. Realizing what is happening, Satan quickly catches her before she hits the ground.</p><p>“Careful…” He whispers to her lovingly. He carefully starts petting her hair, a big grin on his face.</p><p>“Please, Satan.” She seems to be exhausted now and looks up to him pleadingly as he holds her gently in his hand. “Don’t hurt Lucifer. Promise me.”</p><p>He frowns at her. Not appreciating her worry for Lucifer and then whispers something to her that we can’t hear. There’s a small relieved smile as reaction to it on her face, however. Then he continues out loud. “... Now, give me that.” He takes her needle and throws it away. “Before you hurt yourself. I’ll see you soon Leila, my Fury. I love you.”</p><p>He gently puts her down on my shoulder. “Wait!” She shouts at him. “What did you do to them? How do they get back to normal?”</p><p>“Just use the medicinal herbs.” He gives her a little bit from my pocket and she nods with her arms full. She will give that to me, and after that I can help the others.</p><p>“I’m still going to punish you for this, Satan.” She warns him as she’s trying to reach my mouth with the herbs. And he grins, watching her. A goofy smile on his face that only she can make him do. Though admittedly, she is extremely cute like this. It’s hard to not smile.</p><p>“Can’t wait.” He grins wolfishly to her, petting her hair one last time. “Well, I’m off.” Satan laughs his wicked laugh again, stepping back into his role of evil Demon Lord. “I’ll leave the rest to you, Belphie.” And with that, Satan has disappeared with Lucifer.</p><p>“Right, whatever…” Belphegor in his demonic form steps out of the shadows slowly, yawning. As if he was just waking up from a nap. “Ugh, really… He never gives me even a moment's rest.”</p><p>“Belphie…” I can hear Beelzebub and Leila say at the same time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed the lover's quarrel. Ahaha!<br/>Another one is coming soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Gaining an Ally</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Such a manipulative trickster!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He steps towards us, while Leila is still trying to give me the medicinal herbs. Sighing as if the whole world is one giant hassle he says. “I mean, seriously… ‘I leave the rest to you.’? What does that even mean?” He picks her up gently and looks at her, smiling adoringly. “I’ve seen you attacking him. You looked very cute. So brave. I love you, Leila.”</p>
<p>“Belphie…” She pleads. “Please don’t make it worse…”</p>
<p>“Worse?” He laughs and holds her up close to my mouth, so that she can finally give me the medicinal herbs. “Ugh… He needs to tell me exactly what it is he wants me to do. Otherwise, how am I supposed to know?”</p>
<p>She gives him a beaming smile as he steps back from me, with her still in his hand. Watching with a bored expression on his face, how I finally get the feeling back in my limbs. When I’m feeling a bit better, I divide the medicinal herbs three ways and take a little more and feed Beelzebub and Solomon their portions. Soon we’re all feeling better.</p>
<p>“I know he was happy about capturing Lucifer and all, but still…” He shakes his head, gently petting his tiny mate over her hair with his finger, making her giggle. “Leaving it to you to feed them the herbs? He can sometimes be so careless, right?” She nods at him with trusting eyes and he smiles triumphantly. Then he steps towards me again to give her back to me. “Eh, regardless… Obviously we’re going to have to fight.”</p>
<p>A new achievement pops up after he says that. <strong>{The Demon Belphegor appears!}</strong></p>
<p>“What?!” Leila shrieks indignantly as he gives her a cheeky wink and steps back to prepare himself for the battle. “Belphie!”</p>
<p>“Belphie…” Beelzebub also says, dejected. No matter our conversation from last night, I know he wasn’t looking forward to doing this.</p>
<p>So I try to help him. “We don’t want to fight you, Belphie.”</p>
<p>“Yeah…” He nods slowly, still looking a little bored. “I mean, to be honest, I find it to be a pretty big hassle myself. But it’s sort of my job to clean up after Satan. It’d look bad if I didn’t do it.” He gets his mischievous grin on his face as he continues. “Satan said that if I defeat you guys, I can have mini-Lucifer to myself for a full day. And I can do anything I want to him. And you know me… How can I turn down an opportunity like that?” He grins at Leila’s furious expression. “Sorry!”</p>
<p>“Ugh!” She stomps her foot on my shoulder. Not that I really feel it. But I can just tell she feels tricked by him. I can also tell that Belphegor still has more tricks up his sleeve.</p>
<p>“Aww, come on Beel. Smile.” He turns to his brother who still stands there as if there’s no more dessert for him for the rest of his life. “There’s no need to take this so seriously. It’s just a game, after all. I promise.” He looks to Leila again when he says that last bit. “Also… This is James' trial right?”</p>
<p>“Yes it is!” Leila yells at him, stomping her foot again. “And I’m so mad with you for trying to sabotage it!”</p>
<p>“But I’m not!” He tells her with an innocent smile and then turns to me. “You have to protect Lucifer and Leila from us Avatars, right? But what would you even learn from this, if all you do is hide away and not actually be challenged? I think this way you can prove to everyone that you earned your star, James.” He gives me a smile, though I still see the mischief in his eyes. Still… I also can’t really argue with his logic. The trial would have been too easy if we had just been left alone. Damn this demon is good at manipulating the situation!</p>
<p>Leila seems to think that over too, as I can feel her pacing back and forth over my shoulder, mumbling so quietly that even I can’t hear her, being so close to my ear. “Okay,” She suddenly says. “I guess that makes sense, in your twisted sort of way of thinking. But you better not hurt Lucifer!”</p>
<p>“Great!” He grins and turns to Beelzebub. “Beel, I’m not the fragile little Belphie you seem to think I am. I’m your twin and your equal.” He says the exact same thing I told Beelzebub last night and Beelzebub looks at him in surprise. “I don’t always need your care and protection, even though I like it that you are always there for me. I’m lazy, after all. But not weak. Okay?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, you’re right, Belphie.” Beelzebub nods, with a serious expression. “You’re strong enough that I don’t have any reason to worry about you.”</p>
<p>“Now that’s more like it!” Belphegor grins and he’s summoning his magic between his fingers, preparing himself to fight again.</p>
<p>“Wait… so then, we’re doing the whole fight thing after all?” Solomon asks to be sure, picking up Leila from my shoulder to be out of the line of fire. Belphegor's magic is more powerful than Mammon’s after all. Once he decides to use it.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” She sighs and tells him, sitting on his hand. “I guess so. I can’t believe I gave permission.” He laughs, hearing her say that.</p>
<p>“James, remember how Solomon said that you weren’t able to channel my full power during the battle with Mammon?” Beelzebub lays his hand on my shoulder as he watches his brother’s smug smirk. Belphegor is effortlessly playing with his magic between his fingers, waiting for me and Beelzebub to make the first move. “Well, I think I might have been holding back without realizing it. But now I’m good, James. I entrust all that I am to you!”</p>
<p>“Good!” Belphegor grins. “Let’s do this!”</p>
<p>As I look into Beelzebub's eyes, I can suddenly sense his powers like Leila described how she senses her demons’ powers. First on the surface there’s the hunger Beelzebub feels to fill up the void that was left inside him when he failed to protect his sister Lilith. It comes from his desire to protect. To be a guardian. He used to be a guardian, he told me that before. But now I can really see it, - or sense it, it’s a bit hard to describe - deep under the surface. Is that what Leila meant by angel core? It feels like our bond is strengthened.</p>
<p>“Hey, you two!” Belphegor mocks. “What’s up with all that staring into each other's eyes? Do that on your own time, okay? Hurry up and attack me, or I’m going to go over there to…”</p>
<p>Well, if he really wants to, let’s do this then… I try to reach Beelzebubs calm guardian nature and draw it out. “<em><strong>Denizens of the darkness, Awaken! You who are born of shadow, hear me! I am the one called James. I call upon you now to lend your power to Beelzebub, Avatar of Gluttony!</strong></em>”</p>
<p>I can immediately tell it’s not the same effect as when Leila does it with any of our demons. But it is very close as we all see Beelzebub transform in his demonic form. It’s not with the beautiful glow from the angel core, but his demonic aura is very impressive nonetheless. Beelzebub’s wings immediately start buzzing and the strong gust of wind appears again. Controlled, this time. Lifting Belphegor high up in the air.</p>
<p>“Wh…?!” He looks surprised, not used to Beelzebub being able to summon this strong magic. “...Aah, I’m floating…!”</p>
<p>“Yay! Well done, James!” Leila cheers for me, clapping her little hands. “Now finish it, before he can counterattack!”</p>
<p>She’s right. Belphegor obviously feels uncomfortable, floating like this up high, as he’s no flying demon. But he isn’t just going to give up. With his eyes narrowed in annoyance, he looks ready to launch his counterattack. But before he can, I let Beelzebub conjure a blast of wind with his wings that slams into Belphegor and makes him fly through the air like a tumbleweed. He lands several feet away from us on the ground with an “Oof.”</p>
<p>“What was that?” He calls to us from the distance, making his way back. A look of disbelief on his face. “Beel, did you do that on your own?”</p>
<p>“No, it was James power.” Beelzebub beams, obviously liking it, that I enhanced his powers this much. “It feels almost the same as when Leila does the enhancement.” He tells us with a grin, dusting off his brother.</p>
<p>“Really? Wow, James.” Belphegor smiles at me. “I didn’t know you could do that. Well then, maybe it would actually be wiser to stick with you, rather than with Satan…” He picks up Leila from Solomon's shoulder and places her in the capuchon of his hoodie. “So listen, I’ll go ahead and ally with you. But in exchange, do you think I could poke at mini-Lucifer juuust a bit?”</p>
<p>I can’t help thinking that he has planned to do this all along, anyway. I just had to prove myself first. “Well,” I snicker as I see Leila looking happily at Belphegor, for joining us. “You’ll have to wait your turn…”</p>
<p>“James!” Leila shouts at me with a stern expression on her face.</p>
<p>Solomon laughs amused and seems to agree with her. “Are you sure you should be giving him the go-ahead to do something like that, James?” He smirks mischievously Leila’s way as he continues. “Ooh, but even so, I want to do it too!”</p>
<p>“Solomon!” Leila shouts at her grandfather now and we all burst out laughing.</p>
<p>“Aww, don’t worry about it Leila.” Belphegor tickles her with a finger and she starts giggling. “I’ll settle for a fairy kiss from you, okay?” He bends his head towards her so she can reach him, tapping his lips.</p>
<p>“Okay.” She places her tiny hands on his chin and gives him a kiss on his lower lip, standing on her tippy toes. She almost can’t reach it, but with that we earn ourselves a new achievement. <strong>{The Demon Belphegor joined your party!}</strong> I’m glad I snapped a quick picture of that too. It was just so adorable. Heh.</p>
<p>“Ahaha! You’re just too cute like this, Leila.” Belphegor laughs happily. “By the way, the goal of this trial is to keep Lucifer and Leila safe, right? Is everything going to be okay there? He’s been kidnapped, after all.”</p>
<p>“Lucifer is inside a warding bottle, so it won’t be easy for Satan to mess with him.” Solomon tells him, as we start making our way to the Demon Lord Satan’s Castle again. “Which means James' test is still ongoing. Now, why don’t we head to the nearest town and stop there for the night?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>*munch* *munch* *munch*</em><br/>We’re sitting around a table at an inn again. Beelzebub is devouring the majority of it with much enthusiasm, while Belphegor is leaning with his head on his arms on the table. He’s not sleeping, though. He’s staring, practically with hearts in his eyes, how Leila is enjoying tiny pieces of food on his plate. She’s not realizing it and is enthusiastically rummaging around on his plate, taking nibbles from several pieces of fruit, vegetables, cheese and other things again. I’m secretly taking a picture of that too. He’s probably going to deny it ever happened, otherwise.</p>
<p>When he’s not looking at Leila, he’s smiling fondly at his brother enjoying himself. “Come on, Beel. You’re getting food everywhere, you know?” He laughs, shielding Leila from flying crumbs with his hand.</p>
<p>“Phoofud haf phummaphish foo, Bewphie.” Is Beelzebub’s answer to that, pointing to something on Belphegor's plate. Apparently asking if he can have it. I think.</p>
<p>Belphegor nods, lifting Leila from his plate and sliding it towards his brother. “Sure, you can have that. I’ve had plenty to eat.”</p>
<p>“Me too! Go ahead, Beel!” Leila sings to them, fluttering up to Belphegor's capuchon to make herself comfortable there. Soon she’s fallen asleep. It’s been an exhausting day for her. Beelzebub and Belphegor both laugh. The few crumbs she’s been eating won’t be making a difference for Beelzebub.</p>
<p>Solomon is quietly smiling at the scene, as he’s eating his own food.</p>
<p>“What is it, Solomon? Why are you smirking like that?” Belphegor frowns at him, not having forgiven him for shrinking his mate. No matter how adorable he thinks she looks now. I think Solomon has some atoning to do with our demons, after all this is over. Not that I think he’s all that worried about it.</p>
<p>“Oh, no reason…” Solomon smiles innocently. “Anyway, I managed to get us two twin rooms, by doing some repairing jobs with my magic.” He continues, holding up the keys for the rooms. “Why don’t you two twins bunk together, so you can stay up late catching up. James and Leila can stay with me.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think so.” Belphegor narrows his eyes at him and shakes his head determined. “Leila stays with me.”</p>
<p>He looks at his still eating twin, who just shrugs. But I think that Beelzebub really wants to share a room with Belphegor again, so I agree with this arrangement. They really can’t stay apart for that long. Even in the Manor, Belphegor has to sleep in the twins room at least once a week or they miss each other too much.</p>
<p>“Ahaha! If you insist.” Solomon laughs and leads us the way to our rooms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That night, I hear Solomon rummaging around in our room, waking me up. “Hey, Solomon? What are you doing?”</p>
<p>“Oh sorry.” He smiles at me. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine.” I sit up in bed. “What’s up?”</p>
<p>“I was checking the cabinets and drawers to see what I can find.” He grins at me with a twinkle in his eyes. “Want to help me? I figured we might find a special item or two.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t have to ask me twice. That’s exactly the kind of thing I like to do! We get to search with much enthusiasm, but when I look at his face at a certain moment, I can see him looking a little sad…</p>
<p>He sees me looking and decides to open up a little. “As I watched the twins earlier, I couldn’t help thinking… They’ve always had each other. Like you and Leila. It’s just natural for them and for you, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I guess.”</p>
<p>“Yes.” He nods. “Even if you don’t say it outright, I can tell how much you trust and rely on each other. You and Leila. Beelzebub and Belphegor. I see that kind of relationship growing now with Leila and her mates as well… And with you and your lovers…” He sighs a little and then smiles again, but it looks strained. “It must be nice, you know? To have someone like that in your life. I guess even if you live for millenia on end, there are some things that can always elude you.”</p>
<p>“Leila told me how you choose to start your families.” I wrap an arm around his shoulders and he looks at me, surprised. “Are you afraid she doesn’t really love you, because of that?”</p>
<p>“Maybe, I’m not sure.” He admits. “Before, I always tried to keep in mind that eventually I would lose my family again... Now that she’s become immortal like me… I can hardly believe it. I have to protect this, James. I’m just not entirely sure how.”</p>
<p>“Leila adores you, Solomon.” I tell him with conviction. “You don’t have to worry about that. Her heart is big enough to love all of us. So trust me when I say this: She loves you and knows you want only the best for her. Or she would have said something more to you about her current transformation.”</p>
<p>“She would have, yes.” He laughs happily, the familiar proud glint back in his eyes. “My little Nightflower has some spirit. Thank you for this talk, James. I will have to get used to not being alone most of the time. Having you and her always by my side... I’m looking forward to that. Now then… What is the score? Did you find something interesting?”</p>
<p>It’s not much but both of us have found some items. Solomon tells me he will haggle us some breakfast with that, tomorrow morning. Beelzebub will be happy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Our talk last night has done Solomon some good. He’s humming a tune as we walk through the town the next morning after breakfast, petting Leila’s hair. She decided to ride on his shoulder for a bit.</p>
<p>“Hmm…” He tells her. “It’s really a wonderful morning, isn’t it? I mean, just look at how blue that sky is.” She just hums in agreement and lays down on his shoulder to look up at it, while we’re walking. “So, how do you think we’re supposed to get to Satan’s Castle?”</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s easy…” Belphegor yawns some more. Looks like he and Leila and Beel indeed did a lot of talking and catching up and now he’s low on sleep. “There’s this spell I know that will just warp us there in no-time flat. It’s very convenient.” Yes, that does sound like a spell that Belphegor likes to use.</p>
<p>“Wait, really…?” Beelzebub looks surprised as if he hears this for the first time. “I thought we had to travel there on foot.”</p>
<p>“We can still do that, I guess.” Belphegor shrugs. “But I’m pretty much done with this game…”</p>
<p>“Yeah!” Leila agrees with him. “I want to go back to Pandora! Let’s finish this today!”</p>
<p>Belphegor grins and bows with a mocking flourish for her. “As you wish.” And with that he gathers us up and casts his spell.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Did she forgive him? Yes.<br/>Did he apologize? I'm not sure.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. At the Demon Lord Satan's Castle...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Playing with the little mouse</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>Shado POV</strong>
  </span>
</p>
<p>I’m sitting on a soft cushion, overseeing a large room. I’m not sure how it all happened: One moment I was enjoying some of the last sun rays on the roof of the house where we live now, the next I was suddenly in this room with Satan and Prince. Prince has been put in a cage in another room now, however. Satan doesn’t really like him and said he doesn’t want to look at him or hear him.</p>
<p>But Satan has been good for me, like always. I will just stay with him and he will make sure I get my treats and cuddles. There was this other strange thing that happened on the day we moved to this place, however. I was sitting on Satan’s shoulder for a better view and he did one of his strange magic things - Leila told me that most things I don’t understand are probably magic - and I saw my human Leila as tiny as a mouse! You can imagine my surprise and worry! She let me know not to worry and that I have to keep quiet about it. But I can’t help thinking about how strange it was.</p>
<p>Satan has gone out a while ago and in the meantime Mammon and Leviathan have arrived in the room. They’re having some sort of discussion. It’s not about repaying money this time, so I decide to eavesdrop. Leila is always interested in hearing my spy-stories and I have much to tell her when I see her again.</p>
<p>“Like, this doesn’t make sense.” Mammon seems to be disappointed. “You’re tellin’ me I don’t get to be in the game anymore?!”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s just the way it is, right?” Leviathan answers him. “You were defeated all too easily. Blown away both literally and figuratively.”</p>
<p>“Hey, shut up!” Mammon is offended now. “I didn’t lose all too easily! Like, I put up a fight and stuff… Anyway, what’s up with that weird way ya were talkin’? Who’re ya tryin’ to imitate?”</p>
<p>“excuse me?! I’m the Lord of Shadow! From TSL!” Leviathan throws his mantle around him dramatically, and arrogantly tries to look down on Mammon, who just raises an eyebrow. “...Obviously!”</p>
<p>“If ya say so…” Mammon shrugs, already lost his interest in the subject. “Hey, did ya see Leila too? I mean, what’s up with that?”</p>
<p>“Right?” Leviathan agrees, nodding. “Why didn’t Solomon mention that to Satan?”</p>
<p>“Probably to not get incinerated right away, after steppin’ foot in the game.” Mammon says and they both start laughing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then Satan is back! He suddenly appears right in between his two brothers and I jump from my cushion to greet him. He lets me climb up to his shoulders and laughs. He seems to be in a good mood. “Mmhehehe…”</p>
<p>“D’aaah!”</p>
<p>“Ugh, I thought I was going to have a heart attack.” Leviathan complains to him. “So it’s just you, Satan…”</p>
<p>“Mmhehehehaha!”</p>
<p>“Ugh, quit it with the creepy laugh, will ya?”</p>
<p>Satan ignores their complaints and holds up a bottle in front of their faces. In it sits Lucifer with his arms crossed, glaring at the three of them. Lucifer is also as small as a mouse, but I remember they mentioned something about that before. I want to know where Leila is.</p>
<p>“Good news, you two.” Satan grins at his brothers, shaking the bottle slightly so that Lucifer loses his balance. “I brought you back a little present.”</p>
<p>Mammon takes a good look inside the bottle. “Pff…! D’ahahaha! Nice goin’ Satan!” He laughs, but then he asks worried. “But where is Leila? I saw she was shrunk too by that shady sorcerer…”</p>
<p>“I let her go, of course.” Satan shrugs, but I see him smiling. “I’m pretty pissed that Solomon shrunk her too, but she was adorable. Trying to fight me with a needle, ahaha!”</p>
<p>“She did? She must be pretty mad with you…” Leviathan draws his conclusion.</p>
<p>Satan doesn’t seem to be worried. “Yeah… eh, it’ll be fine. Let’s focus on the main event of the night.” He holds up the bottle containing Lucifer again.</p>
<p>“The more I look at him, the harder it is to believe how small he is!” Mammon laughs again.</p>
<p>Leviathan laughs as well. “Aww, he’s cute… I never thought I’d say that about Lucifer, but he is… Hey, where’s Belphie, by the way?”</p>
<p>“Belphie isn’t coming back.” Satan tells them as he moves to sit on his chair, me still on his shoulder and Lucifer-in-a-bottle in his hand. “You know how he is. He's decided to stay with them, the moment he saw Leila being all cute and fierce, I’m sure. And I don’t blame him. Now let’s get our little mouse here to play with the cat…” He laughs wickedly.</p>
<p>“Oh man, this is almost too awesome…!” Mammon snickers, rubbing his hands. “Today’s the day you make up for all the evil stuff you did to me over the years! Like when you hung me upside down and tickled me over and over…”</p>
<p>“That was because you sold half of my vinyl record collection.” Lucifer tells him sternly, with a glare.</p>
<p>“You know what Lucifer?” Leviathan adds. “I haven’t forgotten how you refused to accept an important figurine on my behalf!”</p>
<p>“That was because you paid for it with my credit card that Mammon had stolen from me.” Lucifer counters him as well. “You three are going to pay dearly for this, you know? I assume all of you are prepared for the consequences?”</p>
<p>“You may be tiny, buy you’ve still got that same full-sized Lucifer attitude, don’t ya?”</p>
<p>“So even at a time like this, you’re still concerned about us?” Satan laughs. “Well, aren’t you sweet… But perhaps you should be worrying about yourself for a change? Because I’m about to take you out of this bottle and let you play with Shado… How’s that sound?” Lucifer looks to him through the glass of the bottle with a horrified, but also furious, expression.</p>
<p>“Whoa!” Leviathan interrupts him. “Are you sure about that, Satan? Leila will never forgive you if you feed Lucifer to her cat!”</p>
<p>Don’t worry, I’m not going to eat Lucifer. I’m pretty sure he’ll taste like Cerberus… Though I might like to play a little with Lucifer. Chase him around the room a bit. That will be fun, right? It’s been so boring the last couple of days. There’s really nothing to hunt here and no one to talk to, without my Leila around. I enthusiastically bump my head against the bottle and Satan laughs.</p>
<p>“Eh, it’ll be fine.” Satan shrugs again, petting me. “I won’t let Shado actually eat him. But a little game of cat and mouse… What’s the harm in that?” He tries to get the bottle open, but it repels him with a shock and he drops the bottle. “Ack!”</p>
<p>“Whoa! What’s goin’ on?!”</p>
<p>“Check it out.” Leviathan has fetched the bottle again. “This talisman stuck to the side says that this bottle is enchanted to protect whatever’s inside.”</p>
<p>“Ugh…” Satan frowns annoyed. “So boring. As long as he’s in there we can’t get to him.”His brothers agree with him, saying he will be nothing more than a figurine in a box this way. Which gives Satan a new idea. “Heheheh… That’s it. I know just what to do.” He starts doing magic on Lucifer inside the bottle that keeps changing his sheddable skins. “Leila can’t get mad at me for doing this to you, can she?” He asks Lucifer, who looks back annoyed and threatening.</p>
<p>“Hey, look at that!”</p>
<p>“Cool…”</p>
<p>“Interesting… I hadn’t considered doing this to you, but it’s fun…” Satan tells Lucifer as he changes his skin again.</p>
<p>“Satan, You’re going to pay for this…!”</p>
<p>“Ahahaha!” Satan just laughs. He sounds happy, so I start purring, settling on his lap next to the bottle with Lucifer inside. “I can’t believe the Avatar of Pride himself has been reduced to playing the role of a dress-up doll!” He and Lucifer keep arguing about it, but what else is new between the two of them.</p>
<p>“So Satan’s just gonna poke fun at Lucifer a little by dressin’ him up in a buncha different stuff?” Mammon looks on in disbelief and starts gossiping with Leviathan in a corner.</p>
<p>“Well, the look on his face says he’s enjoying every second of it.” Leviathan answers. “Also, I’m pretty sure this is Satan’s only way of bonding with Lucifer.”</p>
<p>“Man, you’d think he would be waaay past his rebellious years by now, but nope…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Satan is having fun playing with Lucifer all night. I’ve never seen him do it like this, usually he avoids him as much as he can. I also don’t think Lucifer enjoys it so much. But Satan is like a cat: We don’t care if the mouse doesn’t like to play, as long as it’s fun for us.</p>
<p>I’ve been dozing off a couple times. Unlike Satan, I do like a lot of sleep if there’s nothing else to do. Suddenly I sense something actually interesting happening! More people have arrived! And one of them is Leila, I’m sure of it. So I jump off from Satan’s lap to investigate. I missed her. She is my favorite people out of all of them! And I have so much to tell her!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>James POV</strong>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“Umm, hey.” Beelzebub asks his brother, after he warped all of us into Satan’s Castle. “I can’t help thinking… If we could have just warped to Satan’s Castle at any time, then we didn’t really need to spend the night at the inn last night, did we?”</p>
<p>“Sure.” Belphegor shrugs, like it doesn’t really matter. “But you know… if we hadn’t stayed at the inn, then there wouldn’t have been an opportunity for certain things to happen.” He pets Leila with his finger, taking her from Solomon’s shoulder carefully. “Fun things.”</p>
<p>Solomon smiles at them. “And that wouldn’t have been good at all…”</p>
<p>“I know, right?” Belphegor smirks back at him.</p>
<p>“Wait, what do you mean by fun things?” Beelzebub can’t follow anymore. Maybe it was just Leila and Belphegor who did the catching up and Beelzebub was just asleep that entire time.</p>
<p>Anyway, this doesn’t seem to be the time to think about that, as suddenly I hear the voice of my other lover. And it doesn’t sound like he’s enjoying himself.</p>
<p>“Stop! Enough of that!” We all look at the direction where it comes from.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, what? Your voice is so faint… I’m afraid I couldn’t hear you.”</p>
<p>“Uhhg…! S-Stop!”</p>
<p>“That’s Lucifer!” Beelzebub looks worried.</p>
<p>Belphegor nods. “Yeah…” He yawns, looking very disinterested. “Sounds like he’s still okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then Shado comes walking up to us. Loudly meowing, his big fluffy tail swaying in enthusiasm. He only acts like this when he’s looking for Leila and wants to tell her a story. I swear, that cat is a real kiss-and-tell. He’s confused at first when he doesn’t see her, but then climbs up onto Belphegor’s shoulder, inspecting his capuchon.</p>
<p>“Ah!” Belphegor reacts a bit startled. “Careful with those nails, Shado!” I don’t think they actually scratched him, seeing as he’s still in his demonic form. He laughs and starts petting Shado with his free hand, while the cat still seems to be looking for something in Belphegor's hoodie. “Are you looking for Leila? I’ve got her right here. Be careful, okay?”</p>
<p>In the meantime Leila was already enthusiastically waving to Shado, sitting on Belphegor’s hand. “Shado! I’m here!”</p>
<p>Belphegor lowers both Leila and Shado to the ground and keeps an eye on things to make sure Shado doesn’t do anything crazy with Leila. We, mostly Solomon and I, are looking on a bit worried as he comes very close with his cat face to Leila, but we didn’t have to worry. Shado recognizes his Leila anywhere and apparently her size doesn’t matter to him. He’s softly chirping to her, like she’s his kitten now and she pets him gently between his whiskers, burying her tiny hands in his fluffy fur.</p>
<p>“...Uh-huh… mhmhm… Really?” Leila sends Solomon a narrow eyed look in the middle of her conversation with Shado for some reason. When I look at Solomon, he just smirks back at her. Then she seems to have made a decision. “You can tell me all about it later, Shado.” She tells him, as she flies up to sit on his head to rub her hands between his ears, making him start purring. “I’ll be sure to give you a good cuddle once I’m normal again too, I promise. But for now we have to find Lucifer, okay? So bring us to Satan.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And so we follow Shado. His fluffy tail held up high, swaying proudly, with Leila sitting on his head between his ears like a queen of the fairies, riding into battle. Heh. Of course I took a picture of this too! He leads us to some kind of throne room. There sits Satan on a dais of sorts. Tossing the bottle with Lucifer in the air and catching it like he’s a juggler, making Lucifer feel nauseous by the movements. Casting spells on Lucifer occasionally that… changes his clothes?</p>
<p>“Heheheh… I have to say, that look really suits you, Lucifer.” Satan laughs wickedly, looking to be having a good time. “Maybe I’ll just keep you like this forever? You could be my pet. What do you say to that, hm?”</p>
<p>He’s about to throw Lucifer up again. But this time, he is stopped by Leila’s command. “Stop it, Satan.” She says with authority, while sitting on Shado’s head. “Don’t you dare shake that bottle again!”</p>
<p>I wonder why it is that her command did work this time. Glancing to Solomon, I see him slightly smile at her. It must have something to do with her part of the trial, but I can’t figure it out, yet.</p>
<p>Satan is now the one staring with heart eyes to his tiny mate, sitting on the head of her cat. Like said before: a queen of the fairies. “Leila! You’re here already! And look how cute you are with Shado!” He takes out his own DDD to snap a picture with a grin. She rolls her eyes, but doesn’t seem to mind it.</p>
<p>“James! Leila!” Lucifer calls to us, relieved.</p>
<p>“Well, I must say, I’m impressed you made it this far, James.” Satan steps back into his role of evil Demon Lord Satan. “But if you want me to give Lucifer back, you’re going to have to defeat me in battle. Are you sure you can do that in your current state? I see that you used Belphie’s magic to warp you here. Meaning you skipped all the leveling that you were supposed to do on your way here.”</p>
<p>“I don’t intend to fight you.” I tell him. “I think it’s time that you and Lucifer bury the hatchet.”</p>
<p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Satan frowns at us. But he listens, because he’s still under Leila’s command.</p>
<p>“Satan, this is all pointless.” I proceed with my persuasion. “You make Lucifer angry, he punishes you, which makes you want to take revenge on him. It never ends. You could both spend your time better. I don’t care about getting my first trial star, if it means I have to fight you. I don’t want to win it, this way…”</p>
<p>“James is right. Satan, please…” Beelzebub pleads now too. “I know you like Lucifer, especially after what happened last year. You know what I mean.”</p>
<p>Satan is quiet, but isn’t denying it.</p>
<p>Leila is looking confused:<br/><em>What else happened last year?</em> I can read it on her face.<br/><em>It’s best if you don’t know.</em> I let her know.<br/>She sighs and nods. She knows sometimes it’s best to not know everything in this crazy world with demons..</p>
<p>“Maybe it embarrasses you.” Beelzebub continues to talk into Satan. “But it’s time to stop lashing out as a way of hiding it. And you, Lucifer. You need to be honest with Satan. Tell him that you know he is his own demon… and a really great one at that… Please…”</p>
<p>Satan and Lucifer are looking stubbornly at each other. Until Lucifer speaks first. “Just to be clear… I don’t remember ever saying that you weren’t your own demon, or that I didn’t know you were great.” He crosses his arms and tells everyone sternly. “So I don’t know where you got that idea.”</p>
<p>“Hmph…” Satan huffs a bit childishly, but then he nods, accepting Lucifer's words. “Well, if you’re going to extend an olive branch, I guess I can’t really reject it, can I? I’d just look childish.” He throws the bottle with Lucifer in it back to me. “Here, you can have your little toy back, James.”</p>
<p>“W-Wait, don’t throw me!”</p>
<p>But of course I catch him. When I look inside the bottle I see him a bit shaken up, but he looks fine. Especially considering the circumstances. “Welcome back!” I grin at him and he smiles back with a little smile. With this we earn ourselves another achievement. <strong>{You recovered Lucifer from the Demon Lord Satan!}</strong> Yay!</p>
<p>“Honestly, you two really are a handful.” Belphegor sighs, as if he wasn't in on this whole game from the beginning. “Do you know how hard it is having older brothers like you?”</p>
<p>“Well, I guess this means we beat the game.” Beelzebub grins, wrapping his arms around Satan and Belphegor. Leviathan and Mammon join them too, grinning. “But wait, I still don’t get it. How did you even know it so quick to be able to create this whole gameworld to begin with?”</p>
<p>Solomon suddenly sighs, after he said that. “I must say, I’m disappointed in you, Demon Lord…”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Master versus Apprentice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The rules have changed.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Because I really didn't understand where the game was going with some things, I changed this chapter to be very different from the game</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone is staring at Solomon after he said that. Standing there in our midst with that familiar smirk on his face. The only one not really surprised seems to be Leila, as she rolls her eyes and pets Shado on his head. Then I remember how Solomon didn’t seem to be surprised at all, a few days ago, when we got pulled into the game… Oh...</p>
<p>“What do you mean you’re disappointed in him?” Beelzebub looks surprised to Solomon who smirks, as the meaning of what he’s saying starts to dawn on all of us.</p>
<p>“No, it can’t be…” Lucifer glares at Solomon who just laughs.</p>
<p>“Oh, but it IS.” He smiles. “After all the ‘final boss switcheroo’ is one of the oldest tricks in the RPG book, right? I’m surprised you didn’t caught on sooner.” He stops for a moment thinking that over, while he looks at Leila. “Well most of you, at least. Anyway, Satan may have appeared to be the last boss… but it was really me all along. I am this game's TRUE Final Boss.”</p>
<p><strong>{The true Final Boss appears: The Sorcerer Solomon!}</strong> With this achievement, all of us are transported to an arena of some sort. The tribunes are crowded with people. Real people. No NPC’s. It looks as if a whole lot of important magicians of every kind are gathered to witness this final showdown. It makes me very nervous. Are they here for me? Or for Leila? Does it matter? I’m nervous for the both of us.</p>
<p>Leila doesn’t seem to care, she only instructs Shado to stay with Satan, so he doesn’t get lost in the crowd and Solomon picks her up, letting her sit in his hands. I already can hear the laughter and the gossip starting when people realize who she is. And our demons are not pleased to hear all those humans talk about her like that.</p>
<p>“James, you’ve managed to see within your demon Beelzebub and understand his powers.” Solomon starts explaining and the tribunes around the arena hush down. “And you’ve drawn them out and used them to defeat your foes in an impressive fashion… Even better than I expected.” He stops talking, looking at me with a serious expression on his face. “However, this trial was about whether you could make full and complete use of your demon’s powers, which you haven’t done. So if the trial were to end now, you’d fail.”</p>
<p>My demons start protesting and the whispers on the tribunes swell up again. I failed? What more could I have done?</p>
<p>“I suppose I could stop it now, but that would really be a shame, considering we had the Society to go through the process of registering you…”</p>
<p>“Solomon!” I suddenly hear Leila call to her grandfather with a tiny but stern voice. Making the whispers buzz louder on the tribunes. People aren’t used to Solomon being interrupted.</p>
<p>Solomon smiles and holds her up on his hand in front of his face. For all to see. “Yes, Leila?”</p>
<p>“You changed the rules for James' trial along the way!” She accuses him sternly with a clear voice and I see Solomon's smile getting broader. “I was right there! you said that James ‘had to keep mini Lucifer and me safe for a full day.’, ‘Keep us safe from the Avatars.’ and only use Beelzebubs powers for protecting us! And he did that.” She points out at all our demons present. None of them has any intention to sabotage my trial by harassing Lucifer anymore. “You said NOTHING about him having to access and draw out Beelzebubs angel core! Almost nobody can do that and you know it!” She points her finger accusingly in Solomon's direction. “Not even YOU!”</p>
<p>“Hmm… Yes…I did say that.” Solomon nods, rubbing his chin. “Well, that must have been your part of this trial then. Your trial is using your talents to make full and complete use of your demon’s powers and defeat me in battle. While you are still like this, in your shrunken form.”</p>
<p>She looks at him with big eyes, but doesn’t seem to be surprised. She’s searching his face to see if he’s holding information back again and then nods. “Okay.”</p>
<p>There's a lot of noise coming from the tribunes now. Apparently the crowd feels that this is an impossibly hard trial for an apprentice. In her shrunken form she seems less powerful, after all. There also is a lot of protesting coming from our demons. They all crowd around her to offer her their services. Well, apart from Lucifer, as he has no pact with her, which seems to bother him very much right now. And of course nobody knows where Asmodeus is.</p>
<p>“I was hoping you would have discovered this sooner, Leila.” Solomon continues. “Maybe you did, but you didn’t mention it to me… You still have a lot to learn, so I almost made you fail. But you were now just in time.” He smiles proudly. “So I’ll give my adorable granddaughter one last chance to pass… Are you ready to face me in battle, Leila?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Good.” He smiles at her. “I’ll enchant your wings so you can fly for longer. Until we have ourselves a winner. Make sure you don’t disappoint me.” Somehow I think she never could in his eyes, but I see her nod determined to him with a serious expression on her face. She would never want to disappoint him.</p>
<p>“Thank you.” She smiles and flies up from his hand after he casts his spell.</p>
<p><strong>{The true Final Boss appears: The Sorcerer Solomon!}</strong> The achievement pops up again as the rules of the trial have been changed now. From now on, it’s up to Leila.</p>
<p>“Careful, Leila.” Lucifer tells her worried. “You’re up against a very powerful foe.” He glares at Solomon as if he has completely forgotten that she is actually his granddaughter. Well, okay… Not many grandfathers are the most powerful sorcerers in the universe and demand from their granddaughters a battle. So I guess that is cause for being a bit worried.</p>
<p>“Alright then, I’ll go first…” Solomon smiles at her and she nods. “<em><strong>Hear me, denizens of the darkness. You who are born of shadow and you who give birth to it. Hear me and do as I command! I am the one called Solomon. I call upon you to send forth one of your number! I summon the Avatar of Lust, Asmodeus!</strong></em>”</p>
<p>And then Asmodeus appears in the arena, and we get ourselves a new achievement. <strong>{Asmodeus, the Avatar of Lust appears!}</strong> He’s standing next to Solomon in his demonic form. And as can be expected from him, he starts complaining immediately. “Tch, SOLOMON! Really, WHY did it take so long to call me here?! I got so sick and tired of waiting on you that I was just about to give up and make an appointment at the spa!” There’s a salvo of laughter from the tribunes when he continues with. “For your information, no one likes a man who only thinks of himself.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t care about the laughing crowd. He just glares around like most of them are beneath him because of their appearances and the fact that they're human. Then he hears Leila giggle. Looking around he suddenly detects her and also gets instant hearts in his eyes, just like all his brothers. “Ooh, Leila! Look at you! You’re adooorable!”</p>
<p>“Asmodeus, you can tell me all about it later” Solomon laughs, patting him on his shoulder. “Do you think you could focus on the coming battle right now?” He casts his enhancement spell on Asmodeus and the crowd starts admiring how Asmodeus suddenly grows in strength.</p>
<p>“Well, okay then.” Asmodeus smiles confidently. “Who are we up against?”</p>
<p>Instead of answering that, Solomon turns to Leila. “Who indeed, Leila? Have you made a choice on who you want to fight for you, out of all of your demons?”</p>
<p>“What?!” Asmodeus shrieks indignantly. “You’re going to make me fight my adorable Sunshine?” He glares at Solomon. “Ugh, you’re so evil!”</p>
<p>“I’ve made a decision.” Leila nods. She closes her eyes and I can see her trying to concentrate in the cacophony of noise that is in the arena. It will be hard for her. I still don’t exactly understand why she couldn’t command Satan earlier. If that is because she’s tiny now… Can she even summon one of our demons while she’s this tiny? Even if they’re standing right next to us? She has to do the summoning. She has to do everything she was taught in Solomon’s lessons a bit longer than a year ago. This is her trial. I think. Or is there more?</p>
<p>Then she starts, still with her eyes closed in concentration. We can barely hear her, but it’s not us she wants to hear her, after all. “<em><strong>Hear me, denizens of the darkness. You who are born of shadow and you who give birth to it. Hear me and do as I command! I am the one called Leila. I call upon you to send forth one of your number! I summon the Avatar of Lust, Asmodeus!</strong></em>”</p>
<p>“What…?” Asmodeus reacts surprised, before he disappears from Solomon's side and then appears again at Leila’s side, across the room. “You choose me?” He asks her. The crowd gasps in surprise. It’s basically impossible to summon a demon out of the control of another magician. Especially if that other is as powerful as Solomon.</p>
<p>She beams and lands on his head where she ruffles his soft hair a bit. “Of course, Asmo!” She tells him. “I have disarmed the enemy now.” He giggles and nods. “Now be quiet, we’re not done yet.” She focuses herself again and holds on tightly to one of his horns as she starts her unique enhancement spell. “<em><strong>Denizens of the darkness, Awaken! You who are born of shadow, hear me! I am the one called Leila. I call upon you now to lend your power to Asmodeus, Avatar of L-...</strong></em>”</p>
<p>And immediately Asmodeus angel core surfaces. The beautiful pink glow, flowing gently around him. There’s a lot of ohh’s and ahh’s from the tribunes. People start swooning over Asmodeus' beauty as they have never seen him like this before.</p>
<p>“So...Are we ready, Asmo?” She asks him while she’s still sitting on his head.</p>
<p>“Yes,” He nods, grinning wickedly to Solomon, who now stands without a demon by his side. “I’ll make it quick. And then we’re going to the spa together, okay? ...Oh Solomooon deear? Come and play with Asmo?”</p>
<p>Instead of doing anything, Solomon just bursts out laughing and starts clapping. “Well done, Leila! I’m so proud of you!” He walks up to Asmodeus and Leila and says. “Finally you have learned to keep your emotions under control while you’re commanding demons! In this form, you couldn’t have done it, if you weren’t in full control of yourself, Leila. This is the hardest trial I have ever given to any apprentice.” He says loud enough for all to hear and the crowd is on the edge of their seats. “I had to give you a difficult one, because you’re special to me. And it makes me so proud to tell you that you’ve passed!”</p>
<p>With that, suddenly Leila and Lucifer grow to their normal sizes again. Leila tumbles from Asmodeus' head while she’s growing and he catches her in his arms. Proudly smiling at his Sunshine he gives her a big loud smooch. I think their awkwardness is gone again now.</p>
<p>Solomon takes both mine and Leila’s hand and my first star starts glowing and her seventh star. “The star of Patience for Leila and the star of Humility for James.” He announces to the crowd. “This makes my granddaughter Leila officially a High Sorceress and James my official new apprentice.”</p>
<p>After that announcement there’s some congratulations from some high ranking people I immediately forgot the names of. And from our demons, crushing us in too tight hugs. Leila is still in her fairy costume, looking cute, even if not tiny anymore. Beaming around proudly with Shado in her arms and her three biggest admirers crowding around her, glaring at any human who dares to gossip about us, or even step close to us with less than friendly intentions. Not that there are much of those left. Everyone has now seen with their own eyes that Leila won her final star fair and square.</p>
<p>After all the excitement has died down a bit, Lucifer says. “Let’s go home. Solomon, would you like to cook dinner for all my brothers? Except for Beelzebub, James, Leila and me. We need some private time away from the rest, to talk things over…”</p>
<p>His brothers stare at him, horrified, as Solomon beams and accepts the invitation. THIS is their punishment?!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Unusual Punishment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lucifer punishes his brothers in the most unexpected and unusual way.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u"> <strong>James POV</strong> </span>
</p><p>“...Ahhh.” Lucifer kicks uncharacteristically his feet up as he settles down in a lawn chair. “It really is great to be outside of that bottle again.”</p><p>“And to be our normal size again.” Leila adds with a beaming smile, holding up her hand for him.</p><p>Lucifer looks at her then smiles gently. “Yes, I suppose this emotion prompts one to high five.” He agrees and slaps her hand barely audible, making her laugh.</p><p>Those two have really grown to understand each other during this whole adventure. Our demons best be ready for this new alliance, heh. I know of a few that will really have to get used to that.</p><p>“So, we made it back to the real world, Lucifer and Leila have their normal sizes again…” Beelzebub sighes relieved as well. “And Leila and James earned their stars from Solomon.”</p><p>“Yup!” I kick up my feet as well, since Leila seems to be in a good mood and is not scolding us for not using footstools. “It’s great that everything turned out so well.”</p><p>“Yes,” Lucifer nods satisfied. “Let’s have a look at your stars.”</p><p>Lucifer motions for the both of us and Leila and I are both holding out our arms for Lucifer and Beelzebub to look at. We see the three staves and seven stars, etched on the back of Leila’s hand glowing faintly. Her trials are complete. She is a High Sorceress now, because of her powers, knowledge and talents. On my hand, there is now one star and one stave glowing faintly. I still don’t really understand how I got my star together with my stave, but who am I to question the rules of the Sorcerers’ Society. I’ll leave that to Solomon and Leila.</p><p>“Pretty, isn’t it?” Leila sighs happily. I can hear that she is relieved to not have to deal with stuck up sorcerers anymore and just be a sorceress in her own right.</p><p>Beelzebub nods, tracing her pattern with his finger, carefully. “Yeah, it is. But I thought it would be bright and sparkly. You know, since it’s supposed to be a star and all.”</p><p>Leila giggles and Lucifer answers for her. “It’s etched to the back of their hands, Beel.” He says in a patronizing manner. “If it were too bright, it would stand out.”</p><p>“Yeah, magic is kept mostly secret in the Human World.” Leila nods and tells him. “But look: You can activate it’s glow…” She traces the pattern now herself, following a certain route. “If you follow the stars in the order that I earned them…” Suddenly all seven stars light up brightly and she beams.</p><p>“Nice…” Beelzebub smiles. “And you’re right, Lucifer. That would stand out!”</p><p>“I’ve still got a long way to go…” I sigh, feeling a bit envious about Leila’s pretty, sparkly seal.</p><p>Lucifer pats my hand, making the star glow up brighter. “Don’t be in such a rush, James.”</p><p>“Knowing you, it won’t be long before you have all of them as well.” Leila hugs me encouragingly. “I can barely wait, though.” She tells me, knowing how I’m feeling. “I’ll help you with it as much as I can!”</p><p>“Exactly.” Lucifer agrees. “Whereas Leila had to do everything on her own, to prove to the people that she wasn’t favored, you’ve got all of us with you.”</p><p>“Right. Anytime I can help, you just say the word.” Beelzebub grins at me encouragingly as well. “What do you say we take a little walk, James?”</p><p>“Go ahead.” Lucifer smiles at us. “I’m going to stay here and talk with Leila a little longer.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <strong>Leila POV</strong> </span>
</p><p>“Sure.” I tell Lucifer and James and Beelzebub wave and go on their walk. I am pretty curious as to what Lucifer wants to talk to me about. I suppose it doesn’t matter. This whole adventure brought the two of us closer together. We both can feel it.</p><p>“Tell me, Leila.” Lucifer starts. “Why is it that you never ask for a pact with a demon?”</p><p>I almost choke on my juice and he quickly snatches it out of my hand and sets it on the table, rubbing my back as he laughs. I definitely was NOT expecting to ever have a pact-talk with Lucifer, of all people. But he deserves an answer nonetheless.</p><p>“You know why, Lucifer.” I tell him almost indignantly, looking at him sternly and he smiles and nods, but still expects me to say it. “It’s because then I lose my advantage in the negotiations. My right to make the rules.”</p><p>“I see…” He pretends to not know what I mean, but I’m not falling for it. He notices and he is forced to continue himself, if he wants to have this conversation. “You’re clever, Leila. I expect no less from you, but I still had hoped to have this talk so it would be me who was making the rules…”</p><p>I keep quiet, he’s still trying to trick me, I’m sure of it.</p><p>“It’s amazing, really…” He muses. “That a child of Solomon is that careful in making pacts… I would have expected you to come to me sooner or later. Looking for power, looking to complete your Ring, maybe. Who knows for what reason? But you’re not looking for more power and you don’t need to complete your Ring anymore... It’s not going to happen, is it? Not ever, if I have to wait for you to ask me.”</p><p>“Not ever.” I confirm his words, determined. “I won’t EVER ask.”</p><p>“Well…” He sighs. “Then I will have a problem. I’ll have to set aside my Pride for you.” I look up to him in surprise and he smiles. “I find it surprisingly easy to do around you, to be honest. Especially after our latest adventure where we shared the same fate. I felt humiliated by being shrunken down to the size of a mouse. You were only worried that in your tiny state you weren’t able to protect your child.”</p><p>“I wasn’t exactly happy about it, either.”</p><p>“But you didn’t feel humiliated, like me.” He smiles, shaking his head. “I really admire that. You were brave and level-headed most of the time…”</p><p>I giggle a bit, remembering. “Yeah, most of the time. Only not when there’s ghosts or when Satan makes me furious.”</p><p>He smirks, humor in his eyes. We can laugh about it now. “So. I feel that if there was ever a human who was worthy of setting aside my Pride for, it’s you. Leila, do you want to make a pact with me? Because if you accept me, that would make me truly proud.”</p><p>“Are you serious?”</p><p>“I am serious.”</p><p>“You don’t want to hear any reasons I would want to accept you? You accept my rules?”</p><p>“No, I don’t need to hear the reasons. And yes, I will accept your rules.” He smiles fondly. “I have heard from my brothers and Barbatos that I will find out your true intentions and feelings as soon as the pact is made. Very intriguing, I must say.”</p><p>I take his hand and look into his eyes. The gem in my Ring of Souls glows up and I can immediately tell Lucifer's feelings and intentions with me: I am his little sister and he loves me and he wants to protect me and everyone I love for me. In return of accepting him, I can make full use of his powers and skills.</p><p>“Wow.” I let go of his hand, a bit shy.</p><p>He strokes my cheek, like a big brother, trying to comfort me. “You don’t like what you see?”</p><p>“I do. It’s overwhelming, though…” I try to find the right words. “I never thought this was going to happen, you know? Us both being stubborn and proud…”</p><p>“Yes.” He agrees, nodding. “Though I feel I would just be stubborn and stupid if I let myself look at my brothers’ happiness of being in pacts with you any longer from a distance. Not letting myself get closer. And I would never want to feel stupid.”</p><p>“Because that would hurt your Pride?” I giggle.</p><p>“It most definitely would.” He nods with a very serious expression on his face. I never knew Lucifer could be honest with me like this? So open? Does he only do this with his equals? “Well then… I need to know, Leila: Yes or no?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>He beams! “Great! Let’s proceed.”</p><p>And with that he takes my other hand. The hand without my sorcerers’ seal. And starts tracing his pattern onto it. And I understand why: I will have the Seal of Lucifer, symbol of a demon, on my one hand. And the Sorcerer’s Seal, symbol of a magical human, on my other. Making them equal, even if different. He says his incantation in demonic as he traces his pattern. Afterwards it glows up, tingles a bit and disappears, just like all the others did. A rush of power flows through my veins and entire being. Lucifer really is the most powerful of his brothers. Now I can understand how James couldn’t control this power on his own. He was never trained to do so. I need a moment to get used to it, myself.</p><p>“Thank you Leila.” Lucifer tells me. “You make me feel more Proud than ever before.” I smile and want to answer him, but before I can, there’s this insane shouting coming from the Manor.</p><p>“G’AAAH!”</p><p>“NO NO NO NO NOOOO!”</p><p>“Ugh, now what?” I complain with a frown. “What is that noise about?”</p><p>“Noise?” Lucifer asks me with an evil smirk. “I don’t hear anything. It must be your imagination.” He settles into his seat again with a satisfied smile. “Ahh… I can’t tell you how great I feel. I couldn’t ask for a more wonderful evening.”</p><p>I narrow my eyes at him, he’s definitely up to something else, but I can’t figure it out yet. Oh well, I shrug and recline in my seat as Lucifer hands me back my glass with juice.</p><p>“Hey, Leila…” He suddenly asks. “Do you also have the feeling like we have forgotten something… Or somebody?”</p><p>Yes we have, but I don’t care about him. I smile at Lucifer innocently. “I’m sure it was nobody important…”</p><p>Before he can ask me what I mean by that, suddenly Belphegor stands in between us in demonic form. I didn’t even notice him approaching, that’s how fast he must have been going. Looking very angry, he threateningly glares at Lucifer, who just smirks up to him, raising his glass up to him in a toast. Without saying a word, Belphegor picks me up from my seat and kisses me possessively in front of Lucifer. And then he takes me to my room in a flash.</p><p>“Belphie… What?!” I complain as he lays me on my bed and is immediately all over me. What the hell has gotten into him all of a sudden?</p><p>He growls softly, but it doesn’t sound threatening. He’s not usually a growler out of passion, though, like Satan. Still it seems like he is doing that now, as he quickly takes off my clothes and starts kissing me all over my body. Okay, I can’t complain about that...</p><p>“You made a pact with Lucifer…” He accuses me, still growling as he looms over me. “You know It makes me crazy with jealousy if you make pacts and now you made one with Lucifer!”</p><p>“I didn’t mean to make you jealous, Belphie.” I hug him against me and give him apologetic kisses. He smiles at me when I do so and he gently caresses my face, but it doesn’t exactly stop the flashing of his eyes as he looks over my body. “It’s because…”</p><p>“I hate it.” He states, interrupting me. “But I won’t accept this punishment from him. I’ll make it into my reward. I hope your body is ready for this, Leila, because I don’t want to wait any longer…”</p><p>Punishment from Lucifer? What?</p><p>“Belphie, what do you mean…” I ask, though I kind of already know what he plans to do.</p><p>“What I mean is…” He tells me in between kisses as he lowers himself onto me between my legs. “That I’m going to make you remember that you’re mine. Right now…” He bucks against me, carefully at first and then more and more passionately. Punctuating his next words as he continues this movement. “My female. My mate. My Leila. My love. Mine.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <strong>Shado POV</strong> </span>
</p><p><em>*sob*...*sob*...*sniffle*...*sob*</em> “Whyyy?!” <em>*sob*</em></p><p>“Wow, I was hoping you’d like my cooking, but I never imagined it would actually move you to tears.” Solomon says as he’s smiling to the people I live with. “I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. Now, I made plenty, so don’t hold back! I expect you to polish off every last bite… That goes for you too, Leviathan. Go on, have some more.”</p><p>But Leviathan lays unconscious on the couch. I go sit on his stomach to give him a massage and to check if he’s alive. He is, because he’s groaning, but he doesn’t look well to me.</p><p>“Levi’s out cold…” Satan says as he sees me trying to revive him. “The assault on his taste buds was too unbearable, so his body shut down.”</p><p>“Huh, I guess he got so full that it made him sleepy?” Solomon seems proud with this result, so I purr encouragingly to my Leila’s kin. He still can’t make me eat, whatever it is that he’s making, but I like to see the people that Leila loves happy. Though it is a bit confusing, because it seems that something that makes Solomon happy, is the one thing that makes everybody else unhappy. “Well, in that case… Satan, go ahead and have some more.”</p><p>Satan just gulps, looking very uncomfortable. Asmodeus is crying. “I don’t understand. Why am I here too?! I was clearly dragged into this against my will!”</p><p>“Belphie…” Satan groans as he tries to eat more. Why is he even doing it if he doesn't like it? People do the most curious things. “Where’s Belphie…?”</p><p>“Hmph, he disappeared the moment we got back.” Mammon almost chokes on his next bite.</p><p>“What?! Wow, he’s good. Really good...” Asmodeus looks at him like he can not believe it. I can. Belphegor is like a cat too. He likes to nap and only does what he wants to do.</p><p>But it makes Satan angry now. “Are you actually complimenting him?! You should be angry right now.” He tells Asmodeus, as he tries to hide the next bite under the dirt in the planter. “Since he’s not here, it means we have to eat his portion too!”</p><p>“You know, I have to say, Lucifer really is a nice guy, huh?” Solomon asks the others, smiling. “I mean, I was sure he was going to string me up from one of the chandeliers, but instead he told me to make up for what I did by preparing a meal for all of you. Say what you will about him, but when it comes down to it, he really loves you guys, huh?!”</p><p>“Hmph. He loves TORTURING us, maybe…” Mammon scoffs, rubbing his stomach and looking very pale. Then he suddenly starts screaming like crazy! “G’AAAH!”</p><p>And Satan starts screaming too! “NO NO NO NO NOOOO!” Looking very, VERY angry, but can’t seem to get up from his seat.</p><p>Asmodeus jumps up but groans, doubling over as if he needs to throw out a hairball. “Uhhhggg, LUCIFER!”</p><p>Even Leviathan wakes up from the doorstep of death! “Noooo…”</p><p>“What is going on, you guys?” Solomon asks worried.</p><p>“Lucifer is not just torturing us, he is <strong>killing</strong> us!” Asmodeus tells him, with tears in his eyes. “He just made a pact with Leila! Uuhhggg…”</p><p>Solomon just looks very confused as all the brothers keep groaning, and screaming and shouting the rest of the evening. Yeah… I have enough of their too loud noises now. I go find a nice spot to nap, away from all of them.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <strong>James POV</strong> </span>
</p><p>Beelzebub and I take a leisurely walk on the grounds. Hand in hand. He keeps lifting mine to have a look at the star. It makes me feel really happy that he is so proud of me.</p><p>“...About everything that happened…” He starts saying. “I do feel bad about what happened to Lucifer and Leila. Them being so tiny, must have been scary for them at times. But personally, I’m glad we went through all that.”</p><p>“Because…”</p><p>“Because you learned more about me and who I am.” Beelzebub kisses my hand, making my star glow up. I smile. “I feel like we’re closer now than ever because of it.”</p><p>“Yeah…” I agree with him. “I feel it like that too.”</p><p>“That star of yours is proof of just how close we are.” He beams proudly</p><p>“From now on, this star belongs to you, Beel.”</p><p>He blushes and beams even brighter now. “Thanks, James. That really means a lot to me.”</p><p>He holds me close and I wrap my arms around him and kiss him. But then our fun is ruined with some loud shouting coming from the Manor.</p><p>“G’AAAH!”</p><p>“NO NO NO NO NOOOO!”</p><p>“Hm?” Beelzebub looks up surprised from our kiss. “Did you just hear something?”</p><p>“Yeah, let’s just ignore them…” I suggest and he nods and kisses me some more.</p><p>“Leila just made a pact with Lucifer,” he tells me afterwards. “It feels strange, I have to admit that. But having you here with me right now, just for me… It makes me feel better about it.”</p><p>He hugs me tightly and I nod in understanding. Leila making pacts is confusing for our demons. It comes with a lot of emotions and some can even feel it physically. And I know some of them wouldn’t like it, that she made one with Lucifer in the first place. Beelzebub isn’t jealous or selfish like that, but if even he can feel it like that… That explains the shouting from the Manor, then.</p><p>“You remember when I gave you my star, right?” Beelzebub still holds me close to get through his emotions. “And now you have given ME a star… I promise that I will always treasure it. Always and forever, James… I love you.”</p><p>“I love you too, Beel.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <strong>Lucifer POV</strong> </span>
</p><p>Okay, admittedly I did not expect Belphegor to show up and take Leila with him to her room like this. I thought he was being tortured by Solomon’s awful cooking, together with the rest of my brothers. Then again, it doesn’t surprise me either. My youngest brother has a habit of getting out of uncomfortable situations. Be it punishments, arguments with his mate, or chores. He always seems to know the best ways to avoid unpleasant things.</p><p>You can’t call me a sadist, because I decide to let it slide this time. Leila loves him and if his jealousy of her making a pact with me, leads to him making an extra effort in wooing her and making love with her tonight… Then I’m happy, if she is happy. I can already tell through my new pact with her that he is definitely working hard in making her happy…</p><p>And who knows? Maybe this will turn it into an even worse torment for all my other brothers. Ahahaha! It really does, by the sound of things… Wouldn’t it be great, if they think that <strong>I</strong> am the one making Leila feel this blissful, right now? Hehehe… I kick up my feet again and enjoy their screams. Serves them right. Very well, I’ll allow you to call me a sadist.</p><p>“AAAH!”</p><p>“MAKE IT STOOOP!!”</p><p>“Ah, there you are, Shado.” Leila’s cat has fled their screams and comes outside looking for his Leila. “I’m afraid Leila is busy right now, but you can sit with me.” I gently pick him up and start stroking his fur. I’m not per definition a cat-person, but I do like this one. He takes after his mistress, I suppose. A smart little creature. “Hmm… Nothing is sweeter than listening to their screams of agony… Don’t you agree, Shado? Ahaha!” The cat just purrs, I can make any assumption I like from that satisfied sound.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Forgotten One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Making apologies.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chat: A Secret Invite (Lucifer)<br/>Chat: Satan’s Rage (Satan)<br/>Spoilers Hard Lesson 46</p>
<p>If you dont want hard Lesson spoilers, you can definitely do without this chapter, it's basically just for wrapping things up. Still I hope you enjoy! :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eventually Lucifer realized that he had forgotten to rescue Lord Diavolo from the game. He tried to blame it on Solomon of course. But Solomon was like me: We couldn’t care less about Lord Diavolo being still in the game. We haven’t forgiven him for what he did to me, after all. Solomon didn’t have a cut-and-dried solution for Lucifer. If he wanted his future King and friend back, Lucifer had no choice to go back inside the game again and play.</p>
<p>They got him out. Lucifer and the brothers who he forced to join him. Which was everybody, but Beelzebub. I didn’t go with them, obviously. I wanted to stay with Pandora and like said: I don’t care about Diavolo being stuck in the game for a bit longer. James stayed with me as well. Lord Diavolo immediately went back to the Devildom, apparently being very outraged with his Avatars because of forgetting him. Which was kinda funny to me. Considering the crazy things he puts them through sometimes, he sure acts childish about one mistake, I must say.</p>
<p>But yeah… It did lead to what happened next...</p>
<p>
  <strong>Lucifer &lt;&gt; Leila</strong>
</p>
<p><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> Leila, make sure you don’t have any plans tonight.<br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> I have a date-night with Satan.<br/><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> Oh, good. I’ll cancel that for you.<br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> Lucifer, you can’t last-minute claim my time like that!<br/><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> Diavolo has invited us for dinner at the Castle.<br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> …<br/><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> Also, make sure you wear something formal.<br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> Is everyone invited?<br/><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> No, my brothers are staying home.<br/><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> So we can eat in peace.<br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> Why bring me and not James?<br/><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> Diavolo asked for you personally.<br/><strong>&gt; Leila: (Sighing-Demon sticker)</strong> Of course he did.<br/><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> You’ll be fine. I stay with you the entire time.<br/><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> I’ll come around to your room to pick you up later.<br/><strong>&lt; Lucifer:</strong> Please get changed and wait for me.</p>
<p>And so I’m now back in the Devildom. All dolled up. Invited to a dinner with Lord Diavolo. As Lucifer’s plus-one, because of Lord Diavolo’s request. I get it. Lucifer has obligations to his future King, he can’t just stay mad at him forever. And they’re friends. And they’re demons, with vastly different ideas of propriety.<br/>And I get it. My date-night with Satan was cancelled because Lord Diavolo is jealous of my mates. So me being here for dinner with him is a punishment for them. Especially for Satan, who is due some punishments for treason. I sigh. So childish, but if this is what I have to do to save Satan from worse… I guess it’s fine.<br/>I just don’t know what they expect from me exactly, it’s definitely not going to be me who is going to do any apologies. They better realize who they’re dealing with.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>*sigh*</em> “Ughh… My head hurts.” Lucifer sighs. “Now listen, Leila. This is a very important mission we’re on, and it all hinges on how you perform in there.”</p>
<p>“I don't think so, Lucifer.” I tell him sternly, after I healed his headache away. “I agreed to be your arm-candy, but that’s it. It’s your problem.”</p>
<p>“See? This is what I mean.” He shakes his head, but I can see him slightly amused, before his face gets stern again. “Don’t let him hear you say this. You have to be cautious, yet bold. Any mistake at all could prove fatal.” He continues dramatically and I roll my eyes at him just as dramatically. He looks at me sternly. “Leila, just one slip of the tongue might cost us everything.”</p>
<p>“Have you been hanging out too much with Leviathan, lately?” I ask him and he can barely keep the smirk off of his face. Ever since we made the pact, I see him laugh a lot. I can tell it makes him happy.</p>
<p>“You’re the only one who can resolve this. The only one.” He holds me by the shoulders. “I won’t leave you alone with him, I promise. But please try to help me with this.”</p>
<p>“I’m just doing this for you and Satan.” I tell him. “I don’t care about Diavolo’s feelings in all of this and you know it. I won’t grovel.”</p>
<p>He smiles at me and nods in understanding. Barbatos leads us to the garden and I can see from his posture that he found our whole conversation quite humorous.</p>
<p>“Well hello there, Lucifer! And you too, Leila! I’m so glad you could make it.” Lord Diavolo greets us in his familiar jovial way, though something seems off. “This is perfect timing. You’re a bit too early for the dinner party and I just required a special variety of tea that I think you’re going to love, Lucifer.”</p>
<p>“I’ll go brew a pot right away.” Barbatos offers and goes back to the kitchen after giving me an encouraging smile.</p>
<p>“So, listen… Diavolo…” Lucifer wants to get this over with quickly.</p>
<p>But Lord Diavolo interrupts him, calling after Barbatos. “Barbatos, bring out some of those cookies Simeon sent as well, if you would. I heard they’re Leila’s favorites.”</p>
<p>“Of course, My Lord.” Barbatos nods, turning around again.</p>
<p>“About what happened…” Lucifer starts again.</p>
<p>Lord Diavolo gentlemanly holds out a seat for me and interrupts Lucifer again. “I’m glad to see you back to your normal size, Lucifer. And I heard you were shrunk as well, Leila? I’m glad you look radiant as ever.” He continues, ignoring Lucifer's frown. Lucifer definitely does not like to be interrupted. “You have earned your Sorceress licence, now, haven't you?”</p>
<p>“Yes, I have.”</p>
<p>“Marvelous!” He laughs loudly, even for him. “And I heard the brothers gossip that you have also made a pact with Lucifer? And that you had a little celebration, afterwards?”</p>
<p>“That’s right.”</p>
<p>“Splendid! Good for you!” He glares at Lucifer. Oh, he’s jealous… I better set this straight right away.</p>
<p>“For the record.” I tell him sternly. “Not that it is any of your business, but that ‘celebration’ as you call it, was with Belphegor. Who is my mate. The father of my child.”</p>
<p>“Well…” Lord Diavolo doesn’t seem to like that explanation any better. “I have to say, it comes as a relief to me as well. That you completed your Ring, just like James. It brings more balance, does it not?”</p>
<p>“Certainly more harmony, between Lucifer and me.” I answer him with a cheeky grin to Lucifer. “We hardly ever fight anymore, because I can now command him to not argue back at me.” Lucifer snorts as if that’s the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard and I can see him relax some. Good. He doesn’t have to grovel either. Lord Diavolo is the one who got himself captured after all.</p>
<p>“Diavolo… I’m sorry.” Lucifer finally gets to make his apologies. “What happened back in the Human World was completely inexcusable.”</p>
<p>“Hm… Inexcusable? What are you talking about?” Lord Diavolo pretends to not know what this is about. “Ah… Wait a second… Would this happen to be about how you forgot that Satan, who is your brother and Leila’s mate, had taken me hostage back in the game world? About how you completely forgot that I even existed? Is that what you’re referring to?”</p>
<p>“Um… It’s not that I forgot, per se…” Lucifer sighs. “There were just a lot of things going on…”</p>
<p>“Well, no need to worry about that Lucifer.” Lord Diavolo pats Lucifer on his back a bit too roughly for as much as I can judge it. “True, you just left me all alone inside that game world. But you came back for me eventually, right? I mean sure… I do have a lot of aches and pains after being trapped inside that dark cold jail cell for such a long time. And I didn’t even get to see the tiny version of either of you, like I hoped…”</p>
<p>“James has made a lot of pictures.” I tell him with a smile. “Maybe you can see them one time, if you ask him nicely. I personally don’t mind.”</p>
<p>Lord Diavolo looks surprised at me and Lucifer sends me a glare, so I smile back. He asked me to help, so he has to trust me on this.</p>
<p>“Maybe I will, that does sound interesting…” Lord Diavolo has his mischievous sparkle in his eyes for a moment. “Well anyway… You eventually realized you’d forgotten me and came rushing back to rescue me, right? I’m so happy you remembered that I existed.” He nods exaggeratedly. “I consider myself lucky!”</p>
<p>“Listen, I was hoping-”</p>
<p>“Though I have to say, I would’ve been happier if you’d rescued me instead of forgetting about me to begin with. Hahahahaha!” Okay, now he’s just rubbing it in.</p>
<p>“...Help me, Leila…” Lucifer whispers to me, as Lord Diavolo is still laughing his fake jovial laugh. “Just look at him. He’s laughing, but you can just tell he’s livid on the inside. This is when Lord Diavolo is at his most frightening…”</p>
<p>“You’re kidding me, right Lucifer?” I whisper back. “I’ve seen him much more frightening…”</p>
<p>“Yes, you have.” He nods. “But for me, this is frightening. You understand, right?” I look in his eyes and I guess I can understand it from his point of view. He can’t even lecture him like this, because he pretends to be happy, right now. “How can I get him to forgive me?”</p>
<p>“You probably have to set your Pride aside again.” I whisper still. “Let’s see… What would he like to see you do…? Maybe try this: When you apologize again, meow like a kitty-cat.”</p>
<p>“Excuse me?!” He looks at me as if he wants to strangle me. “I could never…”</p>
<p>“It’s fine Lucifer.” Lord Diavolo shrugs, having heard my suggestion and Lucifer's refusal. “If that’s too much to ask, I understand. No need to force yourself…” He adopts Beelzebubs sad abandoned puppy expression.</p>
<p>“Aw…” Lucifer sighs and takes a deep breath, setting aside his Pride once more. “Diavolo… I’m sorry, meow?”</p>
<p>Lord Diavolo beams, hearing that and throws his arm around Lucifer’s shoulder. “Allright, fine. I suppose I can’t say no to that… Just don’t let it happen again, Lucifer. Allright?”</p>
<p>“Oh it won’t happen again” Lucifer guarantees him immediately. “Absolutely not. I promise.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Lord Diavolo smiles. “Well then, what do you say we have some tea?” As soon as he says that, Barbatos arrives with a serving tray with tea and cookies. Wearing a big grin on his face. Oh yeah, he has heard Lucifer meowing!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>While Lucifer and Lord Diavolo are catching up on the latest events in the Devildom and Human World, my DDD starts buzzing. It’s Satan, who just found out that Lucifer canceled my date with him. And he is not happy. I sigh. One problem always follows another. I guess I’ll answer him.</p>
<p>
  <strong>Satan &lt;&gt; Leila</strong>
</p>
<p><strong>&lt; Satan: (Angry-Demon sticker)</strong><br/><strong>&lt; Satan: (Glaring-Demon sticker)</strong><br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> Calm down.<br/><strong>&lt; Satan:</strong> I’m finding it difficult to remain calm at the moment.<br/><strong>&lt; Satan:</strong> How could you just go with Lucifer like that, today?<br/><strong>&lt; Satan:</strong> You promised to meet with me!<br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> You realize that this is punishment for you, right?<br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> From Lucifer and Lord Diavolo. For the acts of treason that you did, recently.<br/><strong>&lt; Satan:</strong> Of course. I know they are to blame! <strong>(Angry-Demon sticker)</strong><br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> Exactly. And guess who's suffering for it, right now?!<br/><strong>&lt; Satan:</strong> I’m sorry.<br/><strong>&gt; Leila:</strong> As long as you understand.<br/><strong>&lt; Satan:</strong> You’re still going to make it up to me.<br/><strong>&lt; Satan:</strong> Be prepared.<br/><strong>&gt; Leila: (Rolling-Eyes-Demon sticker)</strong></p>
<p>“Leila, playing with your DDD like that, you’re not doing a very good job apologizing to me.” Lord Diavolo complains to me, after he noticed I wasn’t paying attention to his and Lucifer’s conversation at all. “You can put in a little more effort.”</p>
<p>“Apologize? Why should <strong>I</strong>?” I raise both my eyebrows high, putting down my DDD and enjoy my tea again. “I have done nothing to you that I should apologize for. I was going to have a date with Satan, but instead my presence was demanded here as Lucifer’s plus-one. Please continue your conversation and pretend I’m not here.”</p>
<p>Lord Diavolo narrows his eyes at me, but I can see a slight smirk on Lucifer’s face before he gives me a stern look. I don’t care. Yet again, the Prince didn’t care what I wanted or asked me if it was convenient for me to show up. Really… He should apologize to me! He has a lot to learn about humans, before his dream is made reality.</p>
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